Alice in Middle Earth: The Two Towers
by The Drunk Pixie
Summary: 2/3. The Fellowship has divided. Boromir and Gandalf are dead. Frodo and Sam have disappeared, and Merry and Pippin have been kidnapped by vicious Orcs!  What's a 21st century, 23-year-old girl to do?  Why, save them, of course!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I only own Alice. All characters, people, and places (aside from Alice) belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson.**

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><p>The wind blowing through the wheat fields sting Alice's cheeks. It's been a long time since that fateful night in New Orleans, when she was chased by those ominous men. She's matured in many ways, been imbued with the spirit of an ancient warrior, fallen in love with two completely different men, and watched one of them die. Now she's charging across unfamiliar landscape, only mildly aware of where she is (thanks strictly to what little Aragorn has told her, and to her studies back in Rivendell), without food, water, and extremely little rest. It is now only sheer willpower that is keeping her going, and most of it is Fingolfin's. She's too out of focus to care that they're finally leaving the dreaded Emyn Muil.<p>

Aragorn suddenly stops, and drops to the ground. He lies with his eyes closed and his ear pressed against the dirt, listening. Just as suddenly, he stands back up again.

"Their pace has quickened…" he murmurs softly, climbing to his feet. "They must have caught our scent, hurry!"

Alice charges after him over a hill, adrenaline allowing her to continue running. Legolas follows behind her, and she's vaguely aware of Gimli stumbling. The Elf Prince stops and turns, telling the Dwarf to come along before running after the two mortals. Gimli struggles up the hill, and Fingolfin's hearing allows her to know what he mutters to himself.

"Three days and nights pursuit. No food. No rest. And no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell."

They reach the east wall of Rohan in what is probably record time. Alice figures there may be some trouble once they enter Rohan, but of what sort, she doesn't know. The four of them run through the open plains, when Aragorn suddenly stoops down, seeing something in the mud.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall." He says to himself as Alice and Legolas stop at his sides. She recognizes the Elvish brooch, as she still wears her identical one.

"They may yet be alive." The blonde one next to her says, and the ranger studies the ground once more.

"Less than a day ahead of us." He takes off at a brisk pace yet again, "Come!"

"Come, Gimli! We are gaining on them!" Legolas encourages the Dwarf after he has, once again, stumbled. He pants heavily.

"I am wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." Aragorn and Alice are careful to not laugh.

They come over another hill, and pause to gaze over the open fields of Rohan.

"Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords. There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us." Alice nods at Aragorn's words, as she has sensed it, too. Legolas runs forward a bit, up onto a rock. "Legolas! What do your Elf eyes see?"

"The Uruks turn northeast. They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard!" _"And so, the greatest meme is born."_

"Saruman." The ranger says, poison in his voice.

They run. The Orcs run as though the very whips of their masters were on their heels, as Legolas so eloquently puts it. Alice runs, knowing that the lives of two young Hobbits rest on her shoulders, and that stopping for a moment could mean their deaths. They stop for nothing, not even a moment's rest. Gimli reminds himself to keep breathing, and Alice uses his reminder to remind herself. She's never had to run for four days straight before, night and day, day and night. It is an exhausting pursuit.

Dawn comes the next morning, and the sun is drenched in red flames. Legolas looks upon it with dread.

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night." Alice decides to not correct his horrid science, but instead, continue to run.

_Later…_

Aragorn quickly gestures his three companions to hide behind a rock formation. Horses and their riders come over a hill, the hooves stamping wildly. The ranger calmly comes out of hiding, and calls out to them.

"Riders of Rohan, what news from the Mark?"

Only seconds pass for the four of them to be quickly surrounded by the riders. They form a tight circle around them, and point their spears. Aragorn's hands are up in surrender. One rides forward a bit and addresses them from his steed.

"What business does an Elf, a Man, a woman, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"

"Give me your name, horse-master, and I shall give you mine." Gimli says defiantly.

"_**Didn't he pull this same stunt with Haldir in Lórien? Geez, he does not learn, does he?"**_ Alice mentally shrugs.  
><em>"He's a Dwarf."<br>__**"True."**_

The rider hands off his spear, and gets down from his horse. Gimli nods his head in the rider's direction arrogantly, and Aragorn puts a hand on the Dwarf's shoulder to stay him.

"I would cut off your head, beard and all, Master Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." The rider responds, and in a movement too fast for the mortal eye (from which Fingolfin is exempt) to see, Legolas nocks an arrow, pointed at the rider.

"You would die before your stroke fell." Fingolfin gives an exasperated sigh in the back of Alice's mind, and she quickly silences him. There's a tense moment where all the spears are pointed at Legolas, and Alice's hand silently moves to Ringil's hilt, afraid for her beloved's life. Aragorn reaches across and lowers the Elf's bow.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin, Alice, daughter of Roxanne, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." Only Pippin's level of obliviousness would have not noticed how tense the rider's became at the word 'Roxanne', but as to why, no one knows. The rider before them, apparently, chooses to ignore it.

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." The rider removes his helmet, showing his face. "Not even his own kin." The other riders withdraw their spears. Legolas whispers softly in Elvish that this Éomer, nephew of the King to Alice so she knows. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." Éomer's voice becomes quiet and accusing. "The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man hooded and cloaked. And everywhere, his spies slip past our nets." Aragorn quickly defends them.

"We are no spies. We track a party of Uruk-Hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive."

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." Gimli springs forward, his voice going from his earlier arrogance to a new desperation.

"But there were two Hobbits. Did you see two Hobbits with them?"

"They would be small. Only children to your eyes." The ranger explains, and Éomer shakes his head.

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." Alice quickly looks out into the distance. Smoke rises from a pile way far out. Aragorn looks away, dumbfounded, and Gimli stands in shock.

"Dead?" The Dwarf asks quietly. Éomer nods.

"I am sorry." Legolas puts a hand on Gimli's shoulder in grief.

For some reason, Alice knows she should feel grief or mourning from the loss… but something way down deep inside knows that it's not true, and refuses to give up hope. Fingolfin advises her to trust that instinct, since there is still a chance the Hobbits could have escaped. Unfortunately, she has now gone into the second movie, which she never saw in the first place. She doesn't know this part of the story. Éomer suddenly whistles.

"Hasufel! Arod!" Two steeds move to the forefront. ÉOMER lovingly places his hand on them. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." Éomer puts on his helmet and returns to his horse. "Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands." He turns to the riders. "We ride north!"

_Later…_

Alice clutches Aragorn's waist, keeping her eyes shut and trying to ignore the bobbing of the horse beneath her. She's never ridden horseback before, and it's… unsettling. Originally, Alice was going to ride with Legolas, but it was decided that because of both Alice and Legolas' light weight, and Aragorn and Gimli's heavier weight, to bear one horse with a great burden would be unwise… that, and Alice and Gimli have no idea how to ride a horse. It was very quickly decided, then, that she would ride with Aragorn on Hasufel and Gimli would ride with Legolas on Arod.

They ride to the edge of Fangorn Forest, where the pile of dead Orcs still smolders. Alice clutches her nose, the smell worse than when they were alive. They all dismount and look on the pile with dismay.

It takes some time for her to get accustomed to the smell, but eventually she learns to stand it, and begins helping Gimli look through the mass burial ground. She uses Ringil to push aside the helmets and greaves, the tip of the blade leaving little pieces of ice frozen to the scorched metal before it quickly melts. The substance, the metal itself, is so foreign to her it's astounding. She cannot believe how used to this ancient way of life she has become. She sees Gimli bend over in the corner of her eye. He holds a Hobbit sheath.

"It's one of their wee belts." He says mournfully to Legolas and Aragorn behind him. The Elf bows his head and closes his eyes.

"Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath." He mutters quietly. _**"May they find peace in death."**_

Aragorn kicks a helmet, screaming from the anguish…. Or from a possibly broken toe, which, Alice can't tell from this distance. He falls to his knees, his head hanging low, and despair seeming to swallow him. She can't help but to share in his pain.

"We failed them." Gimli says quietly.

Aragorn suddenly turns his head. Something on the ground seems to have caught his attention. A glimmer of hope flickers across his visage as he notes some marks on the ground. He moves towards them, and touches the spots with his hands.

"A Hobbit lay here. And the other." He sits back as though to ponder the meaning of the marks. His eyes suddenly shift again, and Alice races over to see what he's looking at. "They crawled…" Aragorn continues to follow these marks with the other three close behind. "Their hands were bound," he holds up a rope he finds laying nearby, "Their bonds were cut." He follows the tracks, muttering things about them, studying the history of their movements in the marks they left behind. "The tracks lead away from the battle…" he stops short of the forest's borders, "… into Fangorn Forest."

The four hunters look into the dense and dark forest of gnarled trees so close together, it's as if it is guarding against entry.

"Fangorn? What madness drove them in there?" Gimli says as the four stand by and debate within themselves whether they should enter or not.

_Time passes…_

Gimli sees a leaf stained with dark blood. He brings it to his lips, tasting it, before quickly spitting it out in disgust.

"Orc blood."

Aragorn scours the forest floor, following the tracks of the Hobbits. Legolas and Alice follow closely, fingers twined, and Gimli joins them. Aragorn suddenly halts, regarding his latest findings.

"These are strange findings." He says, and Gimli seems fearful.

"The air is so close in here." Legolas looks around, almost as if he can feel the forest, and Fingolfin does the same.

"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory...and anger." Fear gripes Alice as she suddenly hears low groans reverberate throughout the forest. Gimli raises his axe. "The trees are speaking to each other." Aragorn notices the Dwarf's raised axe.

"Gimli!" He whispers hurriedly, and motions for him to put down his weapon. Gimli collects himself, and lowers the axe in almost surrender. Legolas is reverent.

"They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." Gimli is disbelieving.

"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."

"_Part of me hopes he gets his tongue cut out one day, if only to shut him up!"  
><em>_**"Yeah, that part of you? That would be me, retard."**_

Suddenly, Legolas senses something and runs off for a better look.

"Aragorn, nad nâ ennas!" Legolas moves on to search the surrounding area, Aragorn and Alice hot on his heels. _**" Something is out there." **_

"Man cenich?" The ranger asks. _**"What do you see?"**_

"The White Wizard approaches." Legolas whispers, and all four realize the gravity of his statement. Aragorn also whispers.

"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us." The ranger readies his sword, Gimli grips his axe a bit closer, Legolas nocks an arrow, and Fingolfin draws Ringil. "We must be quick."

With a loud yell, the four men swing round to attack, but a bright light envelops them from the wizard. Gimli throws his axe, but it shatters. Legolas launches an arrow, which is deflected. Aragorn and Fingolfin's swords become red hot in their grasps, and Andúril and Ringil clatter to the forest floor. The four hunters shield their eyes from the blinding light emanating from the White Wizard.

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><p><strong>... And so it begins.<strong>

_Next time on Alice in Middle Earth: The Two Towers:_

_Who is this mysterious White Wizard that sets himself against our four heroes? How will Alice come to aide Rohan? Find out next time!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 is live! w00t!**

**Disclaimer: I own only Alice. All other property pertaining to this story is under the ownership of J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson.**

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><p>"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." The White Wizard states.<p>

"Where are they?" Aragorn demands.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" He asks, a strange tone in his voice. Fingolfin is tense.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" The ranger says, even though he already assumes that it is Saruman. The White Wizard recalls his light. Slowly, his face is revealed. Standing before them, dressed all in white, is Gandalf! "It cannot be…" Aragorn says, both he and Fingolfin completely astounded. Legolas quickly kneels.

"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman." Gimli and Fingolfin join him in kneeling before the White Wizard.

"I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been." Aragorn is still in utter shock.

"You fell." He says plainly.

"Through fire and water." Gandalf tells them the story of his death, how he slew the Balrog of Morgoth on a mountainside, and then died there himself. Life was restored to him, and then he was sent back, "… until my task is done." The story makes little sense to Alice, and she decides to ask him about it later.

"Gandalf…" Aragorn says in awe. Gandalf is confused.

"Gandalf? Yes…" He smiles, "That's what they used to call me." The ranger slowly nods, and Alice decides that Gandalf must be Jesus in secret. Or Houdini. "Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." Gimli utters his name quietly, and the wizard smiles. "I am Gandalf the White." Legolas grins. "And I am come back to you at the turn of the tide."

"_Can I get control back, now?"_ Alice asks as the White Wizard leads the four of them through Fangorn Forest.  
><em><strong>"Oh, whoops, sorry, not used to seeing people being RESSURECTED every day."<strong>_ The sensation of regaining feeling spreads through her body as Alice quickly takes control of herself again. She notices that Gandalf has (somehow) gotten his old, grey, Elf robes back and now wears them over his white robes.

"One stage of the journey is over, another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed." Gandalf says hurriedly.

"Edoras? That is no short distance!" Gimli complains.

"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." Aragorn informs the wizard. He stops.

"Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf says vaguely. The Dwarf is still grouchy.

"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested-?" The Forest almost seems to respond to Gimli's complaints with a low rumble, making Alice nervous. Gimli stops talking (for once) and looks around, fearfully. "I mean, charming...quite charming forest." He smiles as the rumbling ceases. Gandalf turns to Gimli.

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains." Alice rolls her eyes, and Aragorn voices her thoughts.

"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Gandalf leans close to the ranger, who finishes his thought in a low voice. "You still speak in riddles." They laugh.

"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong." Alice smirks, she doesn't know what an Ent is, but it sounds like a good thing.

"Strong?" Gimli says, smiling nervously, "Oh, that's good." Gandalf turns to leave.

"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf." The wizard starts walking out of the forest again. "Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."

"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." Gimli mumbles to himself before trudging after the rest of the party.

When they finally get out of the forest, Gandalf whistles piercingly. It echoes off into the distance. He whistles again. As the echo dies out, a neigh answers him. A magnificent white horse gallops towards them over a nearby hill. Alice glances over to see the wizard smiling. Legolas, standing with Aragorn, Gimli and their steeds, looks upon the approaching horse in awe.

"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas says. The horse gallops across the plain and comes to a stop in front of Gandalf.

"Shadowfax. He is the lord of all horses… and has been my friend through many dangers." The wizard walks up to Shadowfax and strokes his neck. Alice smiles.

The five sojourners make haste on their horses, Gandalf taking the lead, in their journey to Edoras.

_That evening..._

Legolas, Aragorn, Alice, and Gimli sit quietly around a low fire. The ranger fears being spotted by the enemy, so they have just enough of a fire to keep them warm from the freezing-cold breeze about them, but still low enough that it should be spotted anymore than about a mile out. Gandalf stands atop a small hill away from them, keeping diligent watch over the plains of Rohan. Alice and Legolas sit next to each other, fingers entwined, and her head lies on his shoulder. He whispers soft Elvish words to her to keep her fear of what comes next at bay. The riddle of why the Riddermark did not like the name 'Roxanne' puzzles her, and fills her mind with dread for when it is time to meet King Théoden. Gimli sits on Legolas' left a few feet away, staring distantly into the fire. Aragorn sits across from the young couple, also looking into the fire. Without a word, he stands and goes to speak to Gandalf. Alice requests Legolas to be quiet for a moment, and Fingolfin stretches out his hearing to listen to the conversation.

"The veiling shadow that glowers in the east takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-dûr, his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him. The heir of Númenor still lives." Neither Alice nor Legolas look up to see Aragorn's reaction to these words, fearing being caught listening. "Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become." Alice's eyes widen at these words, and there's a pause in Gandalf's speech. "And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of Men. He will use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan. War is coming. Rohan must defend itself, and therein lies our first challenge for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The king's mind is enslaved, it's an old device of Saruman's. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning, we have one advantage." Another small pause. "The Ring remains hidden. And that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor in the hands of a Hobbit. Each day brings it closer to the fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of his quest… Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone."

"He's not alone. Sam went with him."

"Did he? Did he, indeed? Good." Alice can hear the smile in his voice. "Yes, very good." Legolas and Alice share a look, both uncertain. He resumes his whispering.

_The next day…_

Gandalf, Aragorn, Alice, Legolas, and Gimli ride across the Plains. They stop on a rise looking across to Edoras. The five figures look upon a walled city covering a small mountain. Atop its summit is Meduseld, Alice distantly recalls from her studies.

"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan... whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong." Gandalf pauses, considering his own words. "Be careful of what you say. Do not look for welcome here." He starts off again, and the four hunters follow.

It isn't long before they're riding through the gate. Aragorn and Alice go through last, and both see a flag flutter to the ground. She can tell that he's taking it as a bad omen.

People eye the five of them warily, and Aragorn whispers that to the people of Rohan, they might as well be harbingers of doom. He looks up, and Alice follows his gaze to Meduseld. They both see a lady dressed in white standing on its porch, watching them. They stare for only a second before Gimli distracts them.

"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard…" They both glance back at the hall, but the lady has disappeared.

They approach the doors of the Golden Hall. The large doors swing open eerily, and a man, dressed similarly to Éomer, exits followed by a detachment of foot soldiers. The four men and woman climb the steps, and the soldier meets them at the top. Gandalf leans heavily on his staff, like an old man. He looks up to the ma and smiles.

"I cannot allow you before Théoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Gríma Wormtongue."

The four young(er) people each grab their weapon uncertainly. Aragorn and Alice grab the hilts of Andúril and Ringil, Legolas' hand touches the tip of his bow, and Gimli gripes the handle of his axe. Gandalf nods to them to surrender their weapons. Alice almost laughs out loud at herself and the three boys as they turn over every weapon they have. Swords, knives, arrows, and axes drop. The man signals to Gandalf.

"Your staff." The wizard glances at his staff and scoffs innocently.

"You would not part an old man from his walking stick." He continues to look at the man innocently. Alice jumps in to further the cause.

"Of course he wouldn't, Uncle, he knows that someone of your age and stature should not press themselves too hard." She looks at the man with an endearing smile. "In my home, Gandalf is always welcome as though family. He's been as an uncle to me since I was but a little girl. I would hate to see anything happen to him, simply because someone didn't like his walking stick."

She leans against Gandalf slightly, rubbing his back, and continuing to give the man her (or at least, what she hopes is) enduring smile. He nods, rolls his eyes, and then gestures for them to follow him. As soon as his back is turned, Gandalf grins at her, and then winks at Aragorn, who smiles at them both in return. They follow him inside, the old wizard leaning against Alice and Legolas' arms as an old man might for support. The soldier that spoke to them bows before the King, then stands aside to allow the five people behind him enter. A man Alice can only describe as a slimeball (normally she's not so judgmental… but have you seen this guy?) leans over and whispers into an aging man's ear, who she assumes to be King Théoden.

"My Lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming." They continue forward, and the guard shut up the doors behind them. They notice several men behind the contingency of guards following them as they walk towards the King. "He's a herald of woe." Legolas and Alice release Gandalf. _"He's very judgmental… of course, if I looked like that, I might be too…"_

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King." Fingolfin hears Wormtongue whisper to Théoden.

"He's not welcome." Théoden finally speaks, and his words are though it takes a great effort to speak.

"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" He looks at Wormtongue, as though for affirmation. _"Okay, so who's the real King here? I can't tell."_

"A just question, my liege." Gríma stands, and walks to meet them well in front of Théoden. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Láthspell spell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest." An image flashes in Alice's mind. Gandalf stands, dark and tall in a small home, speaking in a deep voice. Bilbo stands before him, anger slipping from his features and fear taking its place. The wizard tells the Hobbit that he is not some conjurer of cheap tricks.

"Be silent." The image dissipates immediately at Gandalf's words, as though he were telling her mind to still itself. She blinks, and realizes that Wormtongue has frozen in his place, and that there is a tension in the air. She glances over at Legolas, who slowly nods his head past her. She turns slightly, and sees two of the strange men with their hands balled into fists, a fiendish gleam in their eyes as their whites rake her body. She tenses, suddenly wishing that Ringil was safely secured at her hip once more. She tunes back into what Gandalf's saying. "… bandy crooked words with a witless worm." He raises his staff to the 'witless worm', who backs away from it.

"His staff." He backs well away from Gandalf while addressing the guards, arrogantly. "I told you to take the wizard's staff."

The men behind the lines burst through to attack. Aragorn, Alice, Legolas, and Gimli engage them in a fist-fight to keep them from Gandalf as he approaches Théoden. Out of the corner of her eye, Alice sees one soldier try to run forward, but the one from earlier holds him back. She tunes out the wizard's words as she ducks a blow from one of the men. Her foot comes up in a high swing, kicking the man across the face, knocking him back. She spins around, and seeing a man about to punch, she brings up her arm to block and then swings a punch of her own. Her blow hits it's mark, and she feels the man's jaw crack and break underneath her fist. She turns around again to see two men about to try and grab her before Aragorn and Legolas suddenly appear to take them down. She puts a hand on her heart as the shock sinks in that she just did that. Not Fingolfin.

Movement. She looks over, Gimli is holding down Wormtongue with his foot.

"I would stay still if I were you." The Dwarf warns, a growl in his throat.

"Hearken to me!" Gandalf is much closer now to Théoden King then when she had last seen, and everyone slowly approaches the White Wizard. "I release you from the spell." Gandalf holds out his hand and concentrates... Suddenly, Théoden laughs, menacingly. Gandalf opens his eyes.

"You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey." Théoden says, still laughing. Angered, Gandalf throws back his grey cloak and spreads his hands. A blinding white light issues from him. Théoden is thrown back against his seat.

"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." He thrusts his staff towards Théoden. The force knocks him back in his throne. The wizard moves in closer. Out of the corner of her eye, Alice sees a young woman, close to her own age, rush in. She tries to run to the king, probably thinking he is in trouble, but Aragorn stops her.

"Wait." He says to her quietly.

Alice looks back to the main scene to see a new aura come over Théoden. He looks at Gandalf evilly and speaks in a voice Alice had heard once before. A voice that still chills her deeply, and occasionally haunts her dreams. She heard it once on the Misty Mountains. It is the voice of Saruman.

"If I go, Théoden dies." Legolas either senses her distress, or it shows (unbidden) on her face, as he suddenly appears at her side once more, his right arm wrapped around her shoulders and his left hand reaching across to hold her left. He whispers for her to be strong, as the moment is soon to pass.

Gandalf thrusts his staff again and throwing Théoden/Saruman back again.

"You did not kill me, you will not kill him." Théoden/Saruman leans forward with difficulty, hate welling in his eyes. He speaks with some difficulty.

"Rohan is mine." The dual being struggles against Gandalf's power.

"Be gone."

The man lunges for the wizard, who smites him, and he is thrown back into the chair. Gandalf lets out a sigh of relief, and Alice looks up at him in surprise. Théoden moans and falls from his throne. Aragorn suddenly releases the woman. She charges across the hall to catch him before he can hit the floor. The restrained solder makes to charge again, but the one holding him is strong. The woman holds the king up to look at him. His eyes clear, his hairs change from white strands to brown splendor, his face deg-ages to a more youthful King. Alice's jaw drops.

The woman is over-joyed and the King looks about, confused. His eyes find the woman's.

"I know you face…"he smiles, "Éowyn. Éowyn." The woman, apparently Éowyn, weeps with joy. The King looks up and seems surprised to see Gandalf standing before him. "Gandalf?"

"Breathe the free air again, my friend." He says with a small smile. Théoden stands and looks around.

"Dark have been my dreams of late." He looks down at his own trembling hands.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword." The charging soldier has been released, and the soldier that they spoke to before (Legolas whispers that his name is Háma ) rushes forward with a long sword inside a scabbard (Legolas, again, whispers that it is called Herugrim). Théoden wraps his fingers about the hilt and then slowly draws the sword.

Wormtongue struggles for a minute, trying to escape. Gimli continues to restrain him. The King gazes upon the steel, feeling his strength return. A moment passes before his eyes suddenly darken, and he turns his gaze upon Gríma, who shudders.

_Later…_

Háma and the soldier he restrained before throw Gríma bodily down the stairs outside the Golden Hall. He lands hard on the lower stoop, groaning in pain. Théoden walks down the steps a ways, holding Herugrim. Wormtongue begins to crawl away as he speaks beseechingly.

"I've only ever served you, my lord." The King continues his advance.

"Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" _"Well, that's not too far from the truth."_

"Send me not from your sight." Wormtongue continues. Théoden raises Herugrim to kill Gríma, but Aragorn stops him.

"No, my lord! No, my lord. Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." _"Wow, in America that would __not__ be enough of a reason to let him go."_

The King looks at the ranger and relents. Aragorn, in a move Alice would have never done herself, offers his hand to Wormtongue, but he spits in it and scrambles to his feet. The ranger shakes off the spittle. Gríma violently pushes his way through the crowd of bystanders.

"Get out of my way!" He shouts. Those on the steps solemnly watch Wormtongue depart. Háma suddenly calls out, making Alice jump.

"Hail, Théoden King!" The crowd kneels before the King as Wormtongue charges out of Edoras on a horse. Théoden observes the crowd on it's knees before turning and looking at Aragorn, who also kneels. The King turns to go back into the hall, before stopping and looking at everyone on the steps.

"Where is Théodred? Where is my son?"

Awkward silence.

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><p><strong>MUHAHAHAHA.<strong>

**seargentlambchop - You're welcome! And thanks for reviewing! =D**

**Luna - Hahaha, yup. Thanks. =)**

**Lady Minuialwen - Yes, that's where I got that idea from, lol. I was like, "Ooo! I should put that in there! LOL!"**

**gitana - Thank you very much. What's on my page is actually only like, half of what I have actually planned. I'll keep you in mind for a beta, haha. Thank you for reviewing! =D**

_Next time, on Alice In Middle Earth: The Two Towers:_

_Théodred is dead. How will the King handle it? How will the King handle Alice being a woman, and a warrior? Why were the Riddermark so distressed by the word 'Roxanne'? What has happened to Fingolfin, and why was Alice allowed to fight on her own? Will Alice be able to aide Éowyn in her quest to be allowed to fight? All this and more, next time!_

**Review please! =D**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm home, I'm home! Yyyaaayyy!**

**Just one thing I think I should tell you guys: I have all of next week off with nothing to do, but the week after I start school, so my writing pace will probably slow some. Don't know how much yet. We'll see what happens.**

**Disclaimer: I own only Alice.**

**WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH IN THIS CHAPTER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

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><p>Two lines of soldiers form a pathway within a throng of people. Their heads are bowed low as pall-bearers carry the body of Théodred between them. Upon the prince's chest is a small bundle of white flowers. Théoden follows his son, with Aragorn, Alice, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf following behind him. The people of Edoras stand closely by leaving only a small pathway through the center of the city for the pall-bearers to carry Théodred. Cries and moans pierce the air.<p>

_Later…_

At Théodred's tomb, Éowyn stands near the tomb's open door. Alice stands next to her, silently, barely moving at all, even to just breathe. It's technically not her place to stand there, but she can sense that Éowyn appreciates the silent support. The pall-bearers lower Théodred and pass his wicket between a path of people to the women waiting within the tomb to receive him. Éowyn sings softly in a form of English so old, she can barely understand it.

"_Bealocwealm hafað fréone frecan forth onsended _

_giedd sculon singan gléomenn sorgiende _

_on Meduselde þæt he ma no wære _

_his dryhtne dyrest and mæga _

_deorost. _

_Bealo…"_

_("An evil death has set forth the noble warrior _

_A song shall sing sorrowing minstrels _

_in Meduseld that he is no more, _

_to his lord dearest and kinsmen _

_most beloved. _

_An evil death...")_

_That evening…_

Alice sits next to Freda as her and her brother, Éothain, wolf down food. She hums merrily, hoping to erase the dreadful memories from the minds of the two children. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli stand nearby; Théoden rests on his throne, his head buried in his hand, with Gandalf standing next to him.

"They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wild Men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go." The ranger, Elf, and Dwarf look at each other, concerned. "Rock, cot, and tree." Éowyn tells them.

"Where's Mama?" Freda asks in the blissful ignorance of a child. Éowyn and Alice immediately turn to the girl.

"Mama's gone, honey," Alice says quietly, not wishing to interrupt the conversation now going on between Gandalf and Théoden. "Would you like to hear a song?" She asks her after a pause. Freda and Éothain glance at each other before nodding swiftly. Éowyn has spun around to look at Aragorn and Théoden, but Alice didn't hear what was said.

"When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan." Théoden says, indignant.

"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asks, and the King turns away from them, concern etched in his face. A song suddenly pops into Alice's head.

"_Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens!_

_Bright copper kettles, and warm woolen mittens,_

_Brown paper packages, tied up with string," _She knows Éowyn is staring at her.

"_These are a few of my favorite things!"_ She reaches over to her bag, which is laying on the table, to pull out the violin Legolas gave her back in Rivendell. She plays it loud enough for everyone to hear.

_"Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels,_

_Doorbells, and sleigh bells, and schnitzel with noodles!_

_Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings_

_These are a few of my favorite things!_

_Girls in white dresses, with blue satin sashes_

_Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes,"_ She uses the end of her violin bow to tap Freda's nose and Éothain's brow to emphasize her words.

"_Silver white winters that MELT into spring!_

_These are a few of my favorite things!"_ She stops playing the violin for a minute, and is aware of now everyone's gazes on her form.

"_When the dog bites!"_ She reaches across and tickles Freda as she sings this.

"_When the bee stings!" _She leans over and pokes Éothain, who laughs loudly.

"_When I'm feeling sad,"_ She uses her fingers to pull her smile down into a frown.

"_I simply remember my favorite things,"_ She shrugs, _"And then I don't feel, so bad!"_

"That would hardly work if there is a legion of Orcs breaking down your door." Gandalf says with a chuckle. Alice shrugs.

"It's not meant for adults. It's for children, and childish fears. There were many a time when I was a child, where simply thinking about nice and happy things helped drive away the things I was afraid of." Freda lets out a small gasp, having already seen Ringil and making a few assumptions.

"But, you're a big, strong warrior, Alice!" Says the little girl, "You're not afraid of anything, aren't you?" Alice laughs.

"I'm afraid of a lot of things, Freda." The girl's eyes widen.

"Like what?" She asks.

"Don't even bother asking, Freda." Éothain says with a scoff. "If she's afraid of stuff, she's not really a warrior." Alice quirks an eyebrow.

"Oh, really? How many Orcs have you slain?" The boy's eyes are cast downwards. "I thought so. To answer your question, Freda, I'm afraid of spiders."

"Spiders?" Aragorn asks behind her, skepticism in his voice. Alice sighs.

"Yeah, when I was a little girl, I got bit by one. My face swelled up, I could barely feel one of my arms, and I couldn't move very much." She says, remembering how bad her allergic reaction to the spider's bite was, and the week she had to spend in the hospital for it. "It wasn't very pleasant. Since then, doesn't matter what size or kind, I am totally, completely, and utterly afraid of spiders."

"Wow." Freda says with awe, and Alice laughs again, squatting in front of the girl.

"I'm also afraid of losing the people I care about." She jerks her head towards Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. "Like those three morons over there, who I would swear on my life are out to get themselves killed." Éothain and Freda laugh very hard, and the three men roll their eyes. Éowyn laughs behind her hand, and Gandalf chuckles. "I'm a long way from home, so I'm also afraid I'll get separated from them, and won't be able to find my way again. And I'm afraid I'll never get to go home." The girl gasps again.

"I'm afraid of that stuff, too!"

"See?" Alice says, ruffling the girl's hair, "Just because I'm a warrior doesn't mean I'm not afraid. The difference between you and me isn't this heavy thing," she pulls out Ringil and holds it up, "And it isn't that I'm older," she stands up tall, and shows how much taller she is than the girl, "It's that even though I'm afraid, I know how to tell my fears to go away, because I can't listen to them. If I let my fears rule my life, why, I wouldn't be a warrior at all! I'd be a coward. And cowards do nothing but cause trouble for everyone." Éothain and Freda nod. "Now, go get some baths, you two stink!" The kids laugh as they're guided away by a couple handmaids. They wave their goodbyes to Alice as they leave.

"I didn't know you were good with kids." Gimli says, and she chuckles.

"Wasn't too long ago I was that age. I'm only 23, y'know." She sighs. "Those kids are forever changed by the events that they have witnessed, let alone by the fact that they're now orphans." She turns back, and looks at Gimli forlornly, "There's very little anyone can do now that will help them. They're childhoods are now totally ruined, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"Do you speak from experience?" Théoden asks.

"Sort of. I never knew my father, and my mother died when I was just a few years older than Éothain. Losing your parents, at any age, is hard. Before you even really reach adulthood?" She shakes her head, "Unless you've had it happen to you, you cannot even imagine the very grand scale on which it completely changes your life."

"How did your mother die?" Éowyn asks softly. Alice's eyes shut.

"Where I come from, it's not too uncommon for our elder's to have some kind of memory-effecting disease. One of the ones I know of causes you to believe that you're reliving some part of your childhood, it's called dementia. You can't get it from other people, like the plague or something, it just kind of happens to you. My mother got hers at what's considered a young age, but it could, really, happen to you at any time. It's called Alzheimer's. It makes you forget."

"Forget?" Legolas asks, and she opens her eyes to look at him. He's surprised by the immense amount of pain inside them.

"Everything. It starts off with what you had for breakfast that morning. Then maybe when you bought that fish last week. It escalates. You don't know what day it is, because you forgot yesterday completely. Then, you wake up one morning, and all of last month is completely gone. Soon, you start forgetting people. The name of your best friend from childhood. Your husband's cousin who comes over two or three times a year. Then, it gets even worse. You don't recognize your grandchildren. Your parents, who maybe have been dead for years, are completely erased…" A sob suddenly comes from Alice's chest, "Next, your children. Your husband, who you've been married to for fifty years, you think is a total stranger. Then your own name. Until one day, your family comes to your door, and finds that you passed away in your sleep. Why? Your heart forgot how to beat." She looks away, a few tears escaping. "I was fifteen when my Mom starting having a hard time remembering who I was. I was sixteen when the healers told us that she was gone." A shudder shakes her body, and the tears stop. She has regained her composure, her mask of serenity back into place. "Apologies, I still get upset when I remember."

"That's understandable," says Théoden, surprising her, "That must have been very, very difficult for you. And at such a young age, as well. You have my condolences." She nods, but doesn't speak for the rest of the day.

_The next morning…_

"By order of the king, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need." Háma announces loudly early in the morning.

The people of Edoras gather their things together. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Alice and Gandalf walk among them, Alice keeping pace with the White Wizard.

"Helm's Deep. They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight." Gimli grumbles as they enter a Rohirrim stable, walking past the horses of Rohan. A few neigh at the sight of Alice. "Who will defend them if not their king?"

"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." Aragorn says as he, Alice, and Gandalf approach Shadowfax's stable. Alice goes to stand by Aragorn.

"There is no way out of that ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre." Gandalf turns to the two young people. "Théoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn and Alice. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold." They hold his gaze resolutely, and speak at the same time.

"They will hold." The wizard turns from them to Shadowfax, and gently strokes his coat.

"The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of Men I've walked this earth, and now I have no time." He muses. Aragorn opens the stall door as Gandalf mounts Shadowfax. "With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east." The two nod.

"Go." Aragorn tells him. Legolas and Gimli jump out of the way as Gandalf blasts out of the stable at top speed.

_Later that day…_

Alice has been spending time in the quiet of the horses, caring for them gently. She didn't have much experience, but she remembered a little bit from a man who drove a carriage down the streets of New Orleans who told her a few things about his two horses. She's been peering about in her mind, searching for Fingolfin, who seems to be very quiet, or gone entirely. Both options worry her. She hears something stirring. Looking around the corner, she sees two soldiers attempting to corral a wild horse. She sees Éowyn standing nearby, watching. Aragorn enters the stable, carrying his saddle. He turns to the struggle, puts down his saddle and walks to them.

"That horse is half mad, my lord. There's nothing you can do. Leave him." Says one of the soldiers. The horse rears and whinnies as the ranger comes closer.

"Fæste, stille nú...fæste..." He says to the horse, and signals one of the soldiers to go. She only understands a few words. "...stille nú. Lac is drefed, gefrægon." Aragorn slowly reaches the steed. He caresses his coat softly, and then carefully removes the ropes detaining him. He hands the ropes over to the remaining soldier, and Alice smiles. "Hwæt nemnað ðe? Hm? Hwæt nemnað ðe?" (Fast, be quiet now...fast... ...be quiet now. A battle is stirred up, they heard. What is your name? Hm? What is your name?)

"His name is Brego." Éowyn says, reminding Alice and telling Aragorn that she is there. He snaps around to look at her. "He was my cousin's horse."

"Brego." He turns back to the horse, "Ðin nama is cynglic." He tells him. Éowyn moves, very slowly, closer to the ranger, transfixed. "Man le trasta, Brego? Man cenich?" He says, suddenly switching to the familiar Elvish. (Your name is kingly.) _**"What troubles you, Brego? What did you see?"**_ Alice jumps a bit at the sound of Fingolfin's voice.

"I have heard of the magic of Elves, but I did not look for it in a Ranger from the North. You speak as one of their own." Éowyn says, distracting Alice from interrogating her ancient friend.

"I was raised in Rivendell ... for a time. Turn this fellow free. He's seen enough of war." Aragorn leaves Brego with Éowyn. He retrieves his saddle and leaves quickly. Alice slinks back into the shadows.

"_Where have you been?"  
><em>_**"I'm dying, Alice."  
><strong>__"… WHAT?"  
><em>_**"It's been coming on since we left Lórien, and you found out everything. You haven't known it, but in your sleep since you arrived here, I've been training you. Preparing you, and teaching you Elvish. I'm leaving, soon, going back to Halls of Valinor. I am no longer strong enough to take control of your body to defend you. I knew this day was coming. Your body, through my teaching, will now defend itself when it senses that danger is near. Your hearing and sight have become attuned to mine own, and you will keep that with you forever. While you are in Middle Earth, you will retain my abilities, but when you leave, everything, except for sight and hearing, will return to normal."  
><strong>__"… How long do you have?"  
><em>_**"Everything I do takes effort. The more effort I use, the quicker I die. Even just talking to you. At this rate, just a few more days. I have a few things I need to tell you before I go."  
><strong>__"Then speak."  
><em>_**"Théoden will tell you to hide in the depths of Helm's Deep with the women and children. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli will wish for you to placate him by listening. Everyone will be against you. You know, even now, that you will be needed at the frontlines. No matter what anyone does or says, you cannot give in to their wishes, even though you will want to. You mustn't let them tell you what to do. Be that strong American woman I know and love. Second, in the mean time, you must begin training Éowyn. Keep this to yourself for now, but the day is coming when the Witch King of Angmar **__**will**__** fall. Éowyn will be there when that day comes. She must be ready. She will not accept training from anyone else. There are other things, but all this talking is very quickly deteriorating me. Just follow your instinct, kid, and you'll come out alright at the end."  
><strong>__"Wait, what did Galadriel mean when she said, 'When that which is gold glimmers again'?"  
><em>_**"Aragorn. Goodbye, Alice. I will miss you."  
><strong>__"I'll miss you, too. Farewell, Fingolfin."_

And just like that, he was gone.

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><p><strong>And sadly, in a time when he was needed most, Fingolfin returns home to the Halls of Valinor. Goodbye, Fingolfin! *cries*<strong>

**I decided to put off the explanation as to why the Rohirrim do not like the name 'Roxanne' for later. It would make things way too complicated if I did it right now.**

**Luna - w00t! Yeah, she's kickin butt and takin names, now, lol. XD**

**Stallout - Thank you! And thanks for reviewing! =D**

**Lady Minuialwen - Thanks, haha. Explanation is due soon. =)**

**Song credits: "My Favorite Things" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, from 'The Sound of Music'. Song by Eowyn is from the movies.**

_Next time, on Alice in Middle Earth: The Two Towers:_

_Fingolfin is gone, how will Alice cope? Will she be able to prepare Eowyn for her destiny? Will she be able to stand up to King Theoden? And how will she fare against Eowyn's aweful stew? Find out next time!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, being in the car for about 7 hours yesterday was, apparently, a good thing, since I got most of this written then, hahaha.**

**Oh, and I need some help, guys. I don't actually own the movie trilogy (shocking, I know). I've been using PDF files I found online that I downloaded that have the scripts for the extended editions for the movies, along with websites that let me watch the movies. Unfortunately, I only found Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. If anyone has the extended edition script for ROTK OR has a website (like novamov or vidxden) that has the third movie on it, please, please, PLEASE send me the link. I'm asking now because I've come to the realization that The Two Towers is mostly about Frodo, Sam, and Gollum, so after The Battle of Helm's Deep, there won't be very much left for me to write before I move onto ROTK. If I don't get/find either a script or the movie (again, extended edition), I'll have to start using the book, since I own all three books and The Hobbit, which could make this take a very, very long time because I would have to hand transcribe it all. Which would suck. A lot.**

**WARNING: LOTS OF ARAGORNxALICE FRIENDSHIP IN THIS CHAPTER. (LOL)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Alice.**

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><p>Alice aids the Rohirrim as they gather things from the Great Hall and carry it out. She enters one of the rooms quietly, but stops when she spots Éowyn standing over a chest. She slinks into the shadows to watch. Éowyn opens the chest and pulls out a sheathed sword. She quickly unsheathes it and holds it before her, running her hand down the flat side of the blade, smiling. Deliberately, she practices her swing.<p>

Alice hears the footfalls of someone approaching from behind. She recognizes it, and so does not warn Éowyn when she suddenly spins and swings behind her. Aragorn meets her swing with his dagger, and Alice is impressed when Éowyn's face does not soften at his gaze. She doesn't think he knows that she's there.

"You have some skill with a blade." He says to the young woman. With a swift move, Éowyn swings her sword, throwing Aragorn's arm and knife to one side, rendering him vulnerable and gaining the upper hand. He lowers his weapon. She does likewise and steps away.

"Women of this country learned long ago: those without swords may still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain." _"Dramatic, much?"_ Alice's heart burns, missing Fingolfin's witty retorts. Éowyn re-sheathes the sword, and then places it back inside the chest.

"What do you fear, my lady?" He asks, and she freezes for a moment before turning to him. When she speaks, it is with a grave tone.

"A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire." Aragorn shakes his head in wonder.

"You're a daughter of kings, a shieldmaiden of Rohan." He sheathes his knife, continuing to look at her. "I do not think that will be your fate." _"For a guy whose, allegedly, engaged he does a lot of flirting."_ Éowyn gazes at him, unable to respond. He bows and leaves.

Alice waits a moment, before stepping out from the shadows. Éowyn gasps, surprised.

"Oh, it's you." She says, relaxing at the sight of the foreigner. Alice smiles.

"Yes, it is." She nods her head in the direction Aragorn left in. "He was right, you know." Éowyn stares curiously. "You are skilled with the blade," Alice reaches underneath her cloak, drawing an extra sword, "but your form is sloppy." She tosses it to the shieldmaiden. "Tell me, how well do you think you would fare in-"Suddenly, Alice lashes out with her sword, letting her instincts guide her. In a very sloppy move, Éowyn tries a direct defensive blow. Alice's sheer superior strength knocks the sword from her hand, and almost makes her fall down. Éowyn barely manages to steady herself. "battle?" The blonde woman doesn't respond for a minute.

"Against you? Not very well, I would guess." Alice takes a few steps back, and then uses Ringil to motion for her to pick up the extra sword.

"You would be correct. Stand, I will teach you what I can in the little time we have together."

_The next morning…_

Théoden, Aragorn, Alice, Legolas, and Gimli ride at the forefront of the people leaving Edoras. The King pauses atop the first rise to gaze back upon his city. The Rohirrim walk single file out of their city, following him, carrying only what they need. They make their way towards the mountains where Helm's Deep lies. Some falter, some ride in carts, ever so slowly, they draw closer to their destination.

_Later that afternoon…_

Gimli rides atop a horse, led by Éowyn, among the throng of traveling Rohirrim. Alice and Aragorn ride near them.

"It's true you don't see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they're often mistaken for Dwarf Men." Gimli informs the King's niece, who smiles and looks back at Aragorn.

He gestures, and whispers, "It's the beards." Éowyn smiles and shushes him, and Alice restrains her laughter, giving Aragorn a light slap on the arm. He gives a fake duck, and laughs at her.

"And this, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there are no Dwarf women, and that Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground..." The two women laugh. The Dwarf joins them and continues. "...which is of course ridiculous."

Suddenly, the horse rears up, surprising Éowyn, who loses her hold on the reins. The horse takes off, galloping through the throng, and throwing Gimli to the dirt. Éowyn rushes forward to the Dwarf who struggles to get up like a turtle on its back, and Alice tries to not laugh again.

"It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate." He says as the woman helps him up. Théoden, Alice, and Aragorn, who ride side-by-side, laugh at the sight. The King glances at the two rangers. (Or, at least who he assumes are both rangers, as it has never been confirmed nor denied that Alice is a ranger, but seeing as she wears clothing very similar to Aragorn's – because no one knows that they are, in fact, his clothes – it is assumed by the general throng that she is his sister, and though Théoden knows that that is not true, he does assume that she is a ranger nonetheless)

"I haven't seen my niece smile for a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief." Both their expression's turn dark and mournful. They look to Éowyn, as she laughs and looks to them and brushes Gimli off. Aragorn looks back to Théoden. "Then she was left alone, to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father." Éowyn looks back at Aragorn with the sun behind her and the wind in her hair, smiling at him.

_Later…_

Éowyn walks through a makeshift Rohirrim camp, carrying a pot of stew. She sees Gimli and offers him some.

"Gimli." She says, holding it up.

"No, I couldn't. I really couldn't." He says, very quick to refuse, and even quicker to walk away. Éowyn continues walking until she comes upon Aragorn and Alice, who rubs her legs, sore, having not been used to riding a horse for so long. He looks up at her approach.

"I made some stew. It isn't much, but it's hot." She draws him a bowl, and he takes it. She hands him a spoon.

"Thank you." He dips the spoon in the bowl and fishes for a bite of meat. Immediately upon putting the morsel into his mouth, he freezes. His face registers the distaste of this morsel. Meekly, he looks up to Éowyn. He swallows hard, and nods with the word "Yuck" written all over his face. "It's good." Alice clamps a hand to her mouth to bite back the laughter waiting to burst.

"Really?" She begins to walk away. Subtly, Aragorn tips the bowl to pour out the distasteful mixture, when Éowyn turns suddenly. Aragorn tries to catch himself, but ends up soaking his arms in the steaming brew. Alice hears a small hiss of pain, and laughs a bit at him before helping him clean it up. He gives her a huge, fake grin.

"Would you like to try some, Alice?" Glancing over at Éowyn, who gives her a big smile with doleful, innocent eyes, Alice sighs.

"Sure, why not?" She asks aloud, before begrudgingly taking the bowl from the ranger. The grin drops off his face as soon as she has it, and his expression clearly reads, 'THANK YOU!'. She, too, fishes for a piece of meat. Upon putting it into her own mouth, she immediately spits it out, and Aragorn looks ready to kill her. "What the heck, Éowyn? Are you trying to kill us?" She says, and the blonde looks shocked. Alice plunges her bare hand into Éowyn's hot stew, ignoring the searing pain and searching for another piece of meat. Finding one, she pulls it out and rips it open using her fingernails and teeth. She exposes the inside of the piece to the young woman. "Do you see this? See how light pink that is? That's raw meat. If anyone ate this stew, it could be like eating sheer poison." She glances at Aragorn, "He probably didn't eat enough to die by it, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got sick tonight. Who else have you fed this to?" She demands. Still in shock, it takes Éowyn a second to respond.

"Uh, uh, no one! I just made it; I only offered it to Gimli before I came over here and found you two."

"My suggestion to you is to walk at least half a mile from here, in any direction except the way we're going, dig a hole, and bury the entire pot." Éowyn's eyes widen a little further.

"The entire pot?" Alice nods resolutely.

"The entire pot." Regaining her composure, Éowyn nods before setting the pot aside, and then turning to the silent ranger to ask a question that's been on her mind.

"My uncle told me a strange thing. He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken."

"King Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time." Éowyn kneels down to him, shocked. Alice does some very quick math in her head, and comes to the same conclusion as the young woman before her.

"Then you must be at least 60." He chuckles uncomfortably, and looks away. "Seventy?" She tries, but Aragorn looks down and still doesn't respond. "But you cannot be 80!" He looks at her calmly, and smiles.

"Eighty-seven." Éowyn's and Alice's jaws drop. The blonde stands, momentarily speechless.

"You are one of the Dúnedain." It's a statement, not a question. Alice just stares at him. _"Best case of plastic surgery I have __ever__ seen."_Aragorn nods, humbly. "A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend." _"Oh, well, I guess that explanation works to."_ She half expects Fingolfin to tell her to shut up, before remembering.

"There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago." He looks down sadly.

"I'm sorry." She leaves quietly, taking her pot with her. Aragorn turns and looks at Alice.

"Were you serious about the stew being like poison?" She glances over, sees that Éowyn is out of hearing distance, and laughs.

"Not really. I mean, sure, a lot of raw meat will kill you, but even if you ate the entire pot, you would probably just have really bad food poisoning and wouldn't be able to keep any food down for a couple of days. You'd feel absolutely terrible, but you'd survive." She laughs again, "No, her biggest problem was that she put in way too much salt. I'll be sure to tell her that next time she tries to cook." Aragorn is now staring her with the same kind of awe/shock that she stared at him with after learning his age. "What?"

"I could kiss you right now."

_The next morning…_

Alice, too sore to ride a horse, foregoes the entire operation and simply walks. Legolas had been walking with her, leading her horse and holding her hand; but, when they reached a hill, he kissed her cheek softly, told her he would be right back, and went to go scout ahead. She listens to Éowyn ask Aragorn about the Evenstar pendant hanging about his neck, and his delayed responses.

A few minutes later, she sees Gamling (the soldier who wanted to attack Gandalf for attacking the King while he was under Saruman's spell) and Háma (the soldier who detained their weapons, and then later held Gamling back from attacking Gandalf) ride through the crowds to go scout ahead. They go up further than Legolas, and she notices that he is momentarily distracted by them. She loses sight of the two soldiers.

Moments after, Aragorn, Éowyn, and Alice look up at the sounds of Háma's cries. Gamling draws his sword.

"Wargs!" He yells, loud enough for all to hear. Aragorn runs atop the ridge and momentarily out of sight.

"A scout!" She hears Legolas yell. Aragorn runs back down the hill to Théoden, who rides toward him.

"What is it? What do you see?"

"Wargs! We are under attack!"

The crowd is instantly reduced to a blind panic. The people scream and turn back to Edoras. Aragorn makes his way through the crowd to Éowyn and his horse. Gimli tries to mount Arod.

"Come on. Get me up here. I'm a rider!" With a bit of help, he's up, although he almost falls again.

Alice rushes towards him, and all in one movement goes from running to leaping atop the horse and straddling him with her legs, now sitting in front of Gimli. She spurs the horse forward, and both nearly fall off. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Théoden charging forward with his warriors following. Aragorn, perched on Brego, has stopped momentarily to look at Éowyn, and in his pause, Alice, copying a movement she'd seen on old Western films, brings Arod close to Brego. Trusting her instincts, she waits for the right moment, and then switches mounts, clutching onto Aragorn's cloak as she regains her balance atop the new horse. Both men are shocked and surprised, but neither have a moment to comment as Brego takes off.

The Rohirrim horsemen ride together under their standard up the hill to confront the warg riders. The horsemen ride up the hill into battle. Atop the ridge, Legolas fires arrows into the ranks of the warg riders, hitting his mark each time. The Rohirrim ride over the hill, and Legolas turns and joins Gimli on Arod.

The two armies ride towards each other. Théoden and the Warg Commander give their armies the signal, and the two armies on the field of battle. Riders are knocked from their mounts, spears, arrows, teeth, and swords make contact, the blood-thirsty wargs maul fallen men and horses. As Brego brushes against the wargs, Ringil and Andúril sing with the spilt blood of Orcs.

Alice doesn't see Gimli fall off Arod, but hears him speaking to a warg.

"Bring your pretty face to my axe!" She glances over, and watches Legolas expertly place an arrow inside the beast, felling it, and Gimli is outraged. "That one counts as mine!" She turns for just a half a second to politely remove an Orc's head from its body, and when she turns back, Gimli is laying on his back with a warg pinning him down. She turns back to Aragorn.

"Gimli needs help! I'll see you later!" He gives her one swift nod, not even bothering to question the fact that when she speaks, she doesn't sound like the Elvish warrior that normally speaks with her voice when battle is upon them.

The battle rages on as Alice slips off Brego's back. Aragorn and Théoden deftly dispatch Orcs with their swords. An archer fires arrow after arrow at the attackers before a warg mauls him. More riders are knocked from their mounts.

"Stinking creature." Alice hears Gimli say as she fights her way towards him.

"Half a moment, my dear Dwarf!" She says before quickly dispatching a warg-less Orc.

Suddenly, a warg with an Orc charges her. She spots it in the corner of her eye, and turns to face it as he races towards her. As the Orc swings his sword, Alice drops to her knees and gives a low blow to the warg, swiftly removing it of it's legs. She grabs a knife off a nearby dead body and throws it as though she had been throwing knives her entire life directly at the Orc, braining it.

When she turns back, she watches as Aragorn charges past Gimli, having just speared one of the wolf-like creatures. Gimli moans in pain as the third beast has now been added to the weight he's carrying. She races to his side, her path now clear, and begins helping him get the beasts off. She hears a familiar '_TWANG!'_ go off near her head, and glancing over, sees Legolas standing at her side, protecting her and Gimli from enemies. Two other soldiers quickly arrive to help, one to help lift the bodies and the other to fight off enemies.

The battle rages on.

_Later…_

Alice watches from behind as Gimli axes a fallen warg. They look about. All over the plains the warg riders are retreating, still being removed from this life by Rohirrim horsemen. She quickly spots Legolas, and walks over to him.

"Aragorn!" He calls out, marching towards, and then past her. The name makes her recall that she has not seen the ranger for some time, and quickly walks with Legolas, also calling out the name of their friend.

"Aragorn?" Gimli calls.

Legolas, Gimli, and Alice approach the drop-off. They look over the ground, and the Elf looks up to an Orc, who is laughing rasply. They approach him, and Gimli holds his axe threateningly over the Orc's head.

"Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing." He says, almost growling.

"He's ... dead." The Orc says, and laughs. "Took a little tumble off the cliff." Théoden turns to the cliff, and runs up to look over. Legolas bends down and grabs the Orc by the shirt.

"You lie."

The creature chortles and dies with a smile. Legolas roughly releases him, and something in his hand catches Alice's eye. She reaches down and picks it up. It's a necklace that she'd seen Aragorn wear. Legolas whispers it's name.

"Evenstar…" She glances over, and sees his expression change to worry. The two quickly join Théoden at the drop-off with Gimli close behind. Down the sheer cliff to the rushing water below, there is no sign of either the warg or Aragorn. The trio desperately scans the ravine for their friend as Gamling runs up, and Théoden turns to him.

"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead." The King instructs. Gamling acknowledges and runs back to the ranks. Legolas looks at Théoden with an expression of perplexed anger. The King puts a comforting hand on the Elf's shoulder. "Come."

Théoden leaves the three staring at the river. Alice looks down at the Evenstar, not wishing to believe the truth.

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><p><strong>Buh-bye, Aragorn. See ya later.<strong>

**Amber D - Thank you so much! I think the reason why sequels are usually not as good as the original is because there's normally a gap in the writing. I went, literally, from writing the last chapter of FOTR to writing the first chapter of TTT. But, imo, this isn't even really a sequel, just a continuation. The sequel will come when Alice goes to a new world. ;) Thank you for reviewing!**

**Luna - I know, it was very sad. =( Thanks, I'd been dying to find a reason to use that song in here, lololol. XD**

**Lady Minuialwen - *hands tissue***

**Alright, I have a contest for you guys. That's right, you heard me, a CONTEST. My first ever Submit Your Own Character contest! w00t! I need Gondorians. Try and keep them mostly over 20. I need soldiers, healers, and nobles. I'll put the form up on my profile. I'll also set it up so ya'll can even use the form again when I move on to my sequels, for like Hogwart's students, Star Wars aliens, Star Trek officers, yadda yadda. Just tag it on to the end of your review, mkay?**

**Oh, and one last note, I had a bit of technical trouble with the poll, BUT it's fixed now. So, please go vote on where you would like to see Alice go next!**

**Review please! =D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yeah, had this done yesterday. LOL. I'll start working on tomorrow's long, ardous chapter today.**

**Disclaimer: I own Alice.**

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><p>"Make way for the King!" Gamling yells as the troops enter Helm's Deep.<p>

Alice rides on the back of Théoden's horse. She's switched horses several times, but hasn't really realized it. The shock of losing Aragorn and Fingolfin in such a short amount of time, combined with her exhaustion from the battle and a spear wound in her back that her mind has yet to register, has toppled her, and turned her into, basically, a vegetable. When the men tried letting her ride a horse by herself, the horse took two steps and she just slipped off, as though simply dead weight. She only responds to direct, simple questions, normally with only a vague nod or shake of the head. Legolas has spent the entire day taking great care of her, but, because of the need to even the weight between the horses and not let one be too lightly burdened and another too heavily burdened, has been unable to ride with her. Occasionally, though, she has been allowed to walk, and he has gotten down and led her along by the hand, as she would not walk forward by herself but instead simply stand there, staring into the distance.

She's only aware of Théoden, as he rides in through the gates. She tries to ask him a question, but her lips, oddly enough, won't move. The fog which envelops them (or, really, just her mind) cannot be pierced by even her Elvish eyesight. She manages to look up at the King, but since he's not paying much attention to her at the moment, doesn't notice. She lets her eyes loll over the crowd, not seeing specific people, but more like just entities moving about her. Somewhere in the back of her mind where the fog is not so dense, she knows that they are distressed and yet relieved about something. She knows this should concern her, but the fog won't allow her to care.

Éowyn runs up to the throng of soldiers who have just arrived, her eyes scanning them.

"So few. So few of you have returned." She says to her uncle. He turns to her, trying to find the words, while holding up Alice's side with one hand. He averts his gaze as much as possible.

"Our people are safe." He responds vaguely. He turns back to Alice, who's staring at him with a dull look in her eyes, and a blank expression. Blood stains her Elvish cloak, soaking it through. He holds up a hand, and she slowly climbs off the horse. "We have paid for it with many lives."

"My lady." Gimli says solemnly to the young maiden, who turns to look at him, worry in her eyes.

"Lord Aragorn… where is he?" His next words are difficult to speak, and he sends one fast glance in Alice's direction before responding.

"He fell."

Alice doesn't really hear any of this. All she's aware of is that as soon as her feet touched the ground, Legolas was at her side, gently holding her elbow with one of his hands. She stares into his eyes, a mildly confused expression on her face, and a question on her lips. She knows there's something wrong and wants to ask him about it, but she can't seem to form the words. He returns her stare before glancing over at… whoever it is that's standing next to her (Théoden), and nods in that direction. Then he gently tugs on her elbow, and pulls her along with him. Her mind cannot seem to fathom where they are going, as they twist and turn down what feels like hundreds of passageways. She can tell that there's something very wrong by the expression on his face, but for whatever reason, her lips still will not move.

Finally, he pulls her into a room, where the stench of blood wreaks it's havoc… on everyone else. The fog is too dense to be penetrated by it's scent. Legolas sits on one of the few empty beds, and pulls her down next to him. He gently pushes her head against his shoulder, and then wraps his arms about her waist, rocking her slowly. Though she cannot reason why he would do this, she doesn't question it, and simply lets him hold her.

A moment later, an older woman approaches them. She has a slight hunch in her back, causing her to have to almost waddle instead of walk. She wears a grey dress with a white apron over it, both stained deeply with blood. She has a deep tan, and her long scarred fingers and arms are also stained with blood. Her face is heavily wrinkled with laugh lines, and her dull grey eyes speak of great wisdom. Her lips are puckered in, as though she's maybe missing a few teeth. Her grayish-silver hair is pulled back into a messy bun behind her head. She and Legolas have a quick conversation, their lips moving but no words coming forth.

"My name is Hasuwinë. What can I do for you two?" She says to Legolas, glancing occasionally at the stock-still woman in his arms. Her strong voice offsets her frail body. He nods once as a polite gesture of greeting.

"My name is Legolas Thranduilion; I am an Elf of Mirkwood. My arm," he holds it up for her to see, "is cut from the receiving end of an Orc's blade. It has stopped bleeding. Alice, however," he leans back, and the old woman waddles around to look at Alice's back, who stares after her, "still has a piece of a spear in a wound in her back. We've had trouble keeping the blood from flowing. She, also, hasn't responded to anything except yes or no questions." He looks up at the woman. "Can you help her?" Hasuwinë smiles.

"You love her." It's a statement, not a question. Legolas nods. "I will do all that I can." She pats his cheek twice, and then looks up. She sees a girl dressed similarly to herself, and whistles, shouting something in Rohirric. The girl, no older than 17, comes over swiftly. "This is my daughter, Haelana. She will bind your arm." He nods again, and Hasuwinë gently helps Alice up and into a room, separate from the soldiers who lay about, some dying, and some slowly healing.

_Later…_

Alice sits with the people as Éowyn tends to the man sitting on Alice's right. She stares at the ground, her wound now bandaged and in fresh clothes, but the fog still enveloping her mind. Legolas had brought her in to be watched over by the Rohan woman while he helped around nearby. She hears voices speaking, and then is barely aware of Éowyn suddenly running off. She doesn't look up. A moment later, Legolas walks over to her, grabs her by the elbow again, helps her to her feet, and then leads her out of the room, following someone, but whom, Alice can't see through the fog.

The person before them opens huge doors, straining against the weight only a little as the guards back off. Her and Legolas follow him in. She hears a few more voices, but no discernable words.

"A great host, you say?" Théoden asks, having heard Aragorn's story.

"All Isengard is emptied." The ranger responds.

"How many?"

"Ten thousand strong at least." Théoden turns to Aragorn, incredulous.

"Ten thousand?" His voice is disbelieving.

It is an army bred for a single purpose ... to destroy the world of Men." The bedraggled man responds grimly. Théoden attempts to fathom Aragorn's bombshell. His face shows real fear. "They will be here by nightfall." Théoden turns away, contemplating.

"Let them come!" He says as he marches out of the hall. Aragorn turns to Legolas. "Sut naa re umien?" He asks the Elf quietly in his native tongue, and both cast a worried glance in Alice's direction. (_**How is she doing?**_)

"N'quel." He responds. "She can only answer yes or no questions. We don't know what's wrong. The healer, Hasuwinë, said it was possibly from stress. Physically, however, she's fine." Aragorn walks past Legolas over to Alice, who continues to stare at the ground. He puts a hand on her shoulder. (_**Not good.**_)

"Alice?" He asks, and after a few seconds of shaking her head, as though she can't move it very well, she suddenly lifts her eyes up to his before immediately dropping them back down, like they couldn't stay up on their own. As soon as her gaze hits the floor again, her eyes shoot back up to his own, and this time, she manages to hold her eyes up. Her jaw hits the floor.

"A-…Aragorn?" She asks, her lips finally moving to make the shapes she has been trying to make all day. "Aragorn?" She asks again, more resolutely this time. He nods. "ARAGORN!" She suddenly screams in his face, and jumps forward to hug him, the force of which knocks them both down. The fog, upon realizing that Aragorn was standing there, immediately dissipated to allow her to have full control of her thoughts and action once more. The shock, which had once rendered her little more than a brain-dead stroke victim, had vanished. Her eyes snap up to look at his face again, and when he meets her gaze, her eyes narrow to thin slits. "Don't you ever do that again." He laughs.

"I'll try not to."

"Are you back to normal, lassie?" Gimli asks, poking her side with the wooden end of his axe. She laughs and nods.

"Yes, Gimli. I don't know what happened, but I guess losing Boromir, Fingolfin, and Aragorn in such a short amount of time was just too much for me to handle."

"Wait, what?" Aragorn asks, having laid his head back down, now looks up again at the woman who still lies on top of him. "What do you mean you lost Fingolfin?"

She looks back at Aragorn, and says what Fingolfin told her about why he had to leave. "It just happened two or three days ago." Legolas' eyes widen.

"Two days ago? That was before the battle with the warg-riders!" She nods.

"Yeah, the person who fought off the wargs and helped Gimli here get out from underneath that pile of carcasses? That was me." She quickly explains how the Elf Lord had been training her in her sleep for the day when he could no longer help her, and that she also now has Elvish eyesight and hearing, along with the ability to speak fluent Sindarin. Gimli shakes his head as Alice rolls off the injured ranger and quickly stands.

"That is quite some story, lassie. It does make me feel better knowing that you can fight with the best of 'em when you leave us." Alice grimaces.

"Let's not talk about that right now. Instead, let's go make sure Théoden doesn't get himself killed." Legolas laughs before offering one of his hands to her, which she almost greedily takes. The two, lead by Aragorn and followed by Gimli, take off after the King.

Théoden and Gamling walk down the stairs followed by Aragorn, Legolas, Alice, and Gimli. The King speaks to his soldier.

"I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall." He dismisses Gamling. Théoden and the other four continue on to stand just outside the main gate. He stands outside the gate on the stone pathway leading into Helm's Deep, and quickly tells them his plan. "We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall or set foot inside the Hornburg!" Gimli stands against the gate, bored.

"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs." He says, and Théoden turns to the Dwarf, almost surprised to hear from him. "These are Uruk-Hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad." Théoden stands tall before him.

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own Keep." With that, the King walks back into the Keep. Aragorn places a hand on Gimli's shoulder as he, Legolas, and Alice walk past him. The Dwarf growls. A few minutes later, Théoden leads the four across the battlements of Helm's Deep, overlooking the expansive plains. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be resown; homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them." Aragorn follows Théoden closely, and Legolas and Gimli are distracted by someone needing their aid. Alice keeps pace with her friend.

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people, down to the last child." The King turns quickly to the ranger and draws him close, speaking fast, quiet, and angrily.

"What would you have me do? Look at my Men. Their courage hangs by a thread." Aragorn looks away, ashamed. "If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance." He walks away as Aragorn continues to plead with him. Alice almost begins to think that their time is being wasted on fools, and that maybe they should go back to Fangorn to go find Merry and Pippin. She quickly quiets these traitorous thoughts before they begin to take root.

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." Théoden draws close to Aragorn again.

"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."

"Gondor will answer." Aragorn's words bring out Théoden's wrath.

"Gondor? Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon-?" He stops, recollecting himself. He looks back up into the ranger's eyes, continuing to speak quietly. "No, my Lord Aragorn...we are alone." Théoden turns away again, and Alice and Aragorn stand, watching him leave silently.

_Later…_

In the courtyard of Helm's Deep, a mass, but organized movement is taking place. The people gather their belongings and trudge together into hiding. Soldiers assist the elderly and infirm in getting themselves into the caves. Aragorn and Alice work their way through the throng, explaining the plan to Legolas. Well, Aragorn explains, Alice just listens to him repeat it all again to make sure she understands.

"We'll place the reserves along the wall. They can support the archers from above the gate."

"Aragorn, you must rest. You're no use to us half alive." Legolas tells him, and Alice nods her agreement. The ranger pays them no mind. A voice breaks across the throngs, Aragorn looking in its direction doesn't notice how Alice and Legolas very quickly and quietly become 'distracted' with something and give him a moment alone.

Alice hears Éowyn plead with Aragorn to let her fight with him. She understands the young woman's want. If she had the capacity to fight by Legolas' side, she would, and is grateful that she does. Then she hears something that surprises her and yet doesn't surprise her at the same time.

"You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you." And then her voice becomes desperate. "Because they love you!" A moment passes, silent. "I'm sorry." She says after the moment passes, and then pushes past him to follow the people into the caves. Gamling approaches them.

"Lady Alice?" He asks tentatively, having not yet been actually introduced to her. She turns around to see him, and knows in the back of her mind that Legolas and Aragorn are at least listening, and probably staring at him.

"Yes, Gamling?" She says with more confidence than the soldier had used, knowing full well that that was his name.

"By the King's order, you are to go into the caves with the women and children."

A beat.

Aragorn and Legolas throw themselves at Alice, grabbing her arms and any other appendages they can reach as she throws herself at Gamling, screeching, making a very, very large scene. They just barely hold her back from clawing out the soldier's eyes and anything else she can sink her fingernails into.

"_**WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M TO BE IN THE CAVES?**_" Is heard from the deepest part of the caves of Helm's Deep all the way to the stone pathway that leads directly up to its front wall. Somewhere in the fortress, Théoden cringes. "_**ARE YOU INSANE? I'M THE BEST WARRIOR ROHAN'S GOT! WITHOUT ME, YOU DON'T STAND A **__**FUCKING CHANCE! WHAT THE FUCKING HELL? WHERE IS HE? WHERE IS THÉODEN?**_"

Scared into complete silence by this act of sheer rage on the part of the young brunette before him, Gamling throws himself against the wall behind him, his eyes wide with terror. He knows that it is only the good will of Aragorn and Legolas that is keeping this woman – no, this beast of wrath – from ripping his spine out and beating him with it. He holds up one finger, pointing it in the direction he just came from.

"H-he's… that way." He stutters out.

Knowing that her two companions were not about to let her go, she reaches down and elbows them both in the crotch, forcing them to release her. Turning swiftly in the direction Gamling points in, she immediately storms down that pathway, Éowyn trailing close behind.

The crowd parts before the enraged warrior like the Red Sea before Moses. Everyone sees the glints off Ringil, and no one wishes to suffer at the edge of the freezing cold blade. She stops, and turns to a group of guards standing nearby.

"Where. Is. Théoden?" She asks, enunciating each word so she won't have to repeat it. Her voice sounds as though it is the cold grasp of death itself, and her eyes burn with fires only matched by the ones in Mount Doom. One soldier gulps.

"In t-the Throne Room, Lady Alice." He responds, and she nods once before continuing down her war path. Aragorn and Legolas have recovered, and join Éowyn behind the infuriated woman as they walk towards the Throne Room. Gimli sees them, and with the look on Alice's face combined with a small hand gesture from Aragorn, quickly drops what he's doing and also follows them.

"What's going on?" He whispers to his Elf friend, who seems agitated and is walking a bit funny.

"Alice has been commanded to go into the caves with the other women and children." Gimli's eyes widen.

"Are they crazy? Alice is one of the best warriors I've ever seen!" The Dwarf says quietly, and Aragorn grunts.

"That's what she said." Gimli notices that Aragorn is also walking funny like Legolas.

"Is something wrong?" He asks, and the two give him a withering glance.

"You don't wanna know." Gamling says from behind the three, who cast a single glance over their shoulders before continuing on.

Finally reaching the Throne room, Alice kicks the doors open with one go. Aragorn mutters underneath his breath, remembering that he had had to use both arms to push the doors open. Théoden, upon seeing the so-far-beyond-reasoning-with-it's-not-funny-anymore woman before him, swallows a little, and sits up straight in his throne. He knows exactly why Alice and her small entourage are here.

"Yes, Lady Alice? Is there some kind of problem?" Her eyes narrow dangerously, and the soldiers around the King tense.

"Yes. There is." She takes a deep breath, but her eyes don't open back up. "Why am I being sent to the caves?" Théoden decides that nonchalance might be the best course of action, so he shrugs.

"You're a woman. You belong with the other women." Bad choice of words.

"_**YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M BEING SENT DOWN TO THE CAVES AND NOT BEING ALLOWED TO FIGHT WITH MY FRIENDS IS BECAUSE YOU'RE SECRETLY SOME KIND OF SEXIST PIG?**_" Théoden gulps, knowing that that was probably a bad idea, and before he can try to amend the problem, Aragorn places a hand on her shoulder. She turns her head to the side to listen.

"Alice, listen to the King. Please. You've caused enough of a scene." Her hand shakes with anger as she brings it up, grabs the sides of her friend's hand, and lifts it off her shoulder. She turns fully to glare at him, and points out the now closed doors.

"Those people out there? Those Rohirrim? I don't give a damn about what they think. I'm here to save their lives, and if they want to think badly of me because I want to do my job and am willing to fight for the right to do it, then they can go tofucking hell!" She spins on her heel as Théoden speaks again.

"You're an excellent fighter. If we fail and the Uruk-Hai breech the Deeping Wall, we will need one last line of defense for the children." When Alice speaks, it's still loud, but not as loud as before.

"_**IF THE URUK-HAI BREECH THE DEEPING WALL I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM BACK!**_" She takes a very, very deep breath, and when she speaks again, it is softer, but a cold tone is still in her voice. "My place is on the frontlines with Aragorn. If you wish me to command a group of my own men that will be in reserves for when the frontlines are exhausted, then I will do so, but I will not be forced into a cave like some sniveling coward." She looks directly into his eyes, the fiery wrath combined with cold hatred startles him, and "Your army is made up of young boys and old farmers. You need all the help you can get."

Théoden is trapped. He doesn't want Éowyn to fight. He does want Alice to fight. Éowyn's his niece, and as far as he knows, Éomer is dead, leaving her to be his only chance for some sort of heir to the throne. On top of that, she's his niece, and he doesn't want to see her get hurt. Alice, however, is of no blood relation. But, he knows that if he allows Alice to fight and not Éowyn, he will be caught in a very hypocritical move that he will have to live with for the rest of his life. After a moment's contemplation, he glances over at Aragorn.

"Leave us." The ranger, Elf Prince, Dwarf, shieldmaiden, and all the soldiers in the room quietly leave. He waits until they are all gone and the doors are shut before speaking again. "You must understand, I care too much for Éowyn to see her fight. If I allow you to fight, I must allow her to as well." Alice, in a move that honestly surprises the King, nods once.

"I understand completely, and I agree with your position on not letting her fight." She almost laughs at his look of incredulousness. "Though I do not have the same reasons, I do not think she should be allowed. She can fight, yes. What she doesn't understand is that she's only been trained to fight one-on-one, and has absolutely no field experience. She's told me herself that she has never taken a life, never seen the light in a man's eye be snuffed out by death." She shakes her head. "Time. She needs time. But her youthful brashness and over eagerness to fight blinds her to this." He stares at her with his mouth open. He had never even considered this before. He had only thought of the fact that he loves her too much to see her get hurt and that she must bear a son to continue the line of Kings. A moment of fear grips his heart as he realizes that the young, unassuming woman before him is a true warrior to have only known Éowyn for a week and already summed this up. A moment of silence goes by. "I have a proposition for you." He looks curious.

"I'm listening."

"In exchange for letting me fight on the frontlines, I will train Éowyn to the best of my ability." What Théoden doesn't know is that Alice has already been training his niece in secret. "When I am finished with her, she will be able to defeat even you in battle." He raises an eyebrow.

"You think you would be able to defeat me in combat?" She doesn't even blink before answering.

"I know so, sire." He is taken aback by her sheer confidence. This is the side of Alice he hasn't seen before. The warrior within. The only side he had seen had been normal, playful, completely-in-love-with-Legolas Alice. This side means business. He thinks for a moment, and then sighs.

"I see that I have no choice in the matter. Very well, you may begin training her as soon as you see fit." She curtsies.

"Thank you, Théoden King." She turns and leaves.

Éowyn isn't thrilled about not being allowed to fight, but is happy that her uncle will allow her to train… even though she's been doing it already. Alice doesn't have time to train her that day, but swears to the shieldmaiden that if she survives the battle, she will begin training her as soon as is possible. The foreign woman manages to sneak Éowyn a sword and show her a few new strokes for her to practice while the battle rages, and tells her that if she thinks that all is lost, that she will come down and attempt to flee with the others. The blonde accepts this for an answer.

That night, swords are passed out to the miserable army. Alice watches Aragorn examine one of the swords. He tosses it away, discouraged.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers."

"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli says.

"Or too few." Legolas finishes and Aragorn nods miserably. The new soldiers continue to prepare, heedless of their words. "Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." Everyone around them turns to look at Legolas. He turns away, angrily. He grabs a spear off the wall, and then turns back around, and continues in Elvish. "Boe a hûn. Neled herain, dan caer menig!" Aragorn looks at Legolas with as much confidence as he can muster. (_**And they should be. Three hundred, against ten thousand!**_)

"Si beriathar hýn amar nâ ned Edoras." (_**They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras.**_)

"Aragorn, Men i ndagor. Hýn ú-ortheri. Natha daged aen!" The ranger explodes at the Elf Prince. (_**Aragorn, we are warriors. They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!**_)

"Then I shall die as one them!" He says with resolution. Their gaze locks for a moment... Aragorn breaks and walks away. Legolas makes to follow him, but Gimli puts a hand on his arm.

"Let him go, lad. Let him be." Alice turns to Legolas.

"Legolas, amin mela lle, nan' lle nae yuuyo raika. Amin quenuva a' ho." He looks at her for a minute, and then nods. She quickly leaves. (_**Legolas, I love you, but you were both in the wrong. I will speak to him.**_)*

She finds Isildur's heir sitting outside the armory, watching some young boys practice with their new blades. She sits next to him, not saying anything. She knows that he knows that she's there.

"Have you come to yell at me, too?" She grimly chuckles.

"No, I've had my fill for the day, thank you." He laughs at this. "Don't worry about Legolas. He's just tense, edgy, and probably more than ready for the battle to just begin and be over. You know how people get when the anticipation seems to go on for too long. That could have been anyone in there, yelling in Elvish at him. It just happened to be you." He considers this, and then nods. "You were both right. And you were both wrong." He turns to look at her, and she returns his gaze. "They are going to die. They do have a better hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras." Her face hardens with surety, "But I trust Gandalf. And I trust his wisdom. We'll make it to that fourth dawn. I don't know how yet, but we will." Aragorn smiles and wraps one arm around her shoulders.

"You are wise beyond your years, mellonamin." She leans her head against his shoulder, and smiles.

"I know."

* * *

><p><strong>*Had to use several different websites to actually piece these sentences together. If anyone speaks fluent Elvish and sees a problem w my grammar, please leave me a review telling me what to change it to so it'll be right. Plz&thnx. =D**

**Luna - LOL, IKR? XD**

**Lady Minuialwen - Yes, yes it did, lol. I wouldn't have cared about her feelings, I woulda made up some bull about being allergic or something so I wouldn't have to eat it. LOL. XD**

**amber d - Yup! Thank you! =)  
>That's fine, I use lots of smilies too. XD <strong>

**Sophia Gray - HAHAHAHA, I figured that was going to happen to someone *eventually*. I'm glad you like it! =D  
>I didn't set a maximum, lol, I set a minimum. I want <span>at least<span> (*insert form*) that stuff. If you want to write for days and days on end, please, feel free to, lol. And feel free to send me multiple characters. But if you wanna send me a PM, that's fine too. Thanks for reviewing! =D**

_Next time on Alice in Middle Earth: The Two Towers:_

_Thousands upon thousands of Orcs are beating down on King Theoden's doorstep. Alice has bartered for her chance to fight on the frontlines, how will she handle her first major battle on her own? And *where* is Frodo? Find out next time!_


	6. Chapter 6

**This took me all freaking day to write, hahaha. I just finished this at 9:30 pm.**

**Disclaimer: I own only Alice.**

* * *

><p>Alice and Aragorn sit quietly on the steps of the Hall, simply enjoying each other's company in the few hours they have left before sundown. Aragorn glances over at some boys standing around a fire, timidly holding their weapons and shields. Alice, noticing, glances over as well, and pities them. If <span>she's<span> too young to be here, than they are way too young. The boy closest to them glances over in their direction before quickly averting his gaze.

"Give me your sword." Aragorn says, and the boy whips around. She can tell that the ranger's presence has made the boy nervous, and that walking closer to him is not giving him any comfort. She does her best to smile at him as he hands over the sword. "What is your name?"

"Haleth, son of Háma, my lord." They both react to the name, but neither comment. Alice notices he has a wide forehead. "The Men are saying that we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless."

Aragorn doesn't respond right away. Instead, he stands and eyeballs the sword. Taking it firmly in his hands, he gives a few practice swings, testing it out. Alice stands, and he passes it over to her as well. Feeling her instincts take over, she takes a deep breath as she gets into a steady swinging rhythm that has the boy staring, open-mouthed (along with some of the ones behind him) at her. She finishes and hands it back to the boy.

"This is a good sword." Aragorn says as Haleth reaches up to take it back, "Haleth, son of Háma." The ranger leans down, grabs the boy by his shoulder and looks him in the eye, "… there is always hope."

_Later…_

In the armory of Helm's Deep that evening, Alice stands by, watching Aragorn quickly don his chainmail, leather vest, and Elven dagger. He suddenly looks up when someone reaches to hand him his sword. It's Legolas, with Andúril in hand. Aragorn takes it and nods in thanks.

"We have trusted you this far. You have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair." Aragorn shakes his head.

"Ú-moe edhored, Legolas." Alice smiles at the two of them, putting an arm around their shoulders. (_**There is nothing to forgive, Legolas.**_)

"I'm proud of you two." They all smile at each other, the friendship renewed. Gimli, however, is too busy wrestling with a shirt of chainmail to notice.

"If we had time, I'd get this adjusted." He gets the shirt on, and it drops the bundle to the floor. It lands in a heap. The three smile, trying hard to not laugh. Gimli is unphased. "It's a little tight across the chest." The two men nod in feigned agreement.

A loud horn interrupts the moment, and Legolas turns in curiosity.

"That is no Orc horn." He grabs Alice's hand, and the two run out of the armory with Aragorn quickly following.

"Open the gate!" Someone yells distantly.

"… Long ago we fought and died together." Alice hears as her and her three friends appear at the top of the stiars. Haldir, standing with a huge regiment of Elf archers, smiles at them. "We come to honor that allegiance." The four are quick to descend the stairs to greet the Elf.

"Mae govannen, Haldir." Aragorn says with a quick bow. Haldir extends his hand in a traditional Elvish welcome, and Aragorn begins to also extend his hand when he stops and gives him a huge hug. Haldir is momentarily stunned, but then hugs back lightly. "You are most welcome." (_**Welcome, Haldir**_)

Legolas and Haldir clasp each other on the shoulder in greeting, and Legolas steps aside. Alice and Haldir spend a moment, simply observing each other with hesitation to greet each other. Mostly because the last time they saw each other they were red in the face, screaming at the top of their lungs, spewing venom at each other the likes of which has not been heard in Lothlórien in a very, very long time. Finally, Alice breaks the tense moment.

"I still don't like you." Haldir nods once.

"I don't like you, either." Another long pause.

"But that doesn't mean I won't be expecting you to do the right thing when the time comes for it." His head turns slightly, curious.

"And what might that be?" She later congratulates herself on being able to say this without laughing.

"Saving my ass." A beat. Haldir grins, which Alice quickly returns before rushing forward and hugging him. "You have no idea how much your arrival here is appreciated." He laughs, and Alice backs off. The Elf warrior glances around.

"I think I could guess."

The army of Elves performs a left face and stands before Théoden for his review. Haldir bows before him.

"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."

_Later…_

Alice, Legolas, and Gimli stand side-by-side. The Men and Elves stand ready and watchful on the battlements of Helm's Deep. Every inch of space overlooking the sides of the wall is covered. Across the plains, before Helm's Deep, an enormous army, lit by torches, approaches the heavily manned and fortified battlements.

After the greeting with Haldir, Aragorn took Alice aside and helped her find some proper chainmail and get suited up, ready for battle. All the while, instead of staying quiet like she expected, he gave her instructions as to what to do when the battle begins. Gimli and Legolas had been assigned to the top of the battlements, but she was to stick by Aragorn's side, no matter what.

"You could have picked a better spot," Gimli says to Legolas, breaking Alice's revere. The Elf price smirks at the Dwarf. Aragorn approaches from behind, and claps Alice on the shoulder. "Well, lad," Gimli says, glancing up at the ranger once, "whatever luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night." Lightning flashes, and thunder rolls, both startling Alice. Aragorn gives her a forced smile. Legolas' eyes widen at the sight of the huge Uruk-Hai army before them.

"Your friends are with you, Aragorn." The prince says without turning around.

"Let's hope they last the night." Alice face-palms. "What is it, lassie?" Gimli asks.

"Thunder. Lightning." She suddenly growls, surprising the three men. "On top of everything else, it's going to RAIN." The men laugh at her, and she quickly moves to follow Aragorn as he silently moves away.

Everyone is unmoved when it suddenly starts to rain. The sea of spears grows ever closer. An Orc commander stands atop a rock, urging the sea of Uruk-Hai onward, as they move closer and closer to the wall of Helm's Deep. Aragorn moves through the ranks of the Elven archers.

"A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn ... an uben tanatha le faelas!" He shouts. Alice marvels at how fast his hair has already become wet. (_**Show them no mercy ... for you shall receive none!**_)

The Uruk-Hai commander roars at his troops, and they stop their march. The two armies stand still opposite each other, each waiting for the other. Aragorn moves to the edge of the battlement, Alice standing quietly behind and to his left. The Uruk-Hai army stands impatiently, waiting for their orders. Even though Legolas and Gimli stand in the direct center of the Elvish archers, and her and Aragorn stand on one far side, she can still hear their conversation over the din of the rain.

"What's happening out there?" Gimli asks, and she glances over to see him straining to look over the edge of the wall.

"Shall I describe it to you?" The velvety voice of her love asks, and he looks at the Dwarf with a grin. "Or would you like me to find you a box?" Alice laughs quietly to herself, and glances over again to see Gimli also laughing. She smiles at the two of them, but neither sees.

The Uruk-Hai commander roars, and the entire army begins pounding their spears on the ground. The Men and Elves draw their swords and ready their arrows. She can already hear Ringil singing, as it quivers in eager anticipation in her hand… either that, or she's shaking from the fear and not realizing it. She tries to steady herself.

Suddenly, an arrow from their side is loosed!

The arrow sails to the front line of Uruk-Hai and hits its mark.

"Dartho!" Aragorn shouts. (_**Hold!**_)

The struck soldier groans and collapses to the ground, dead. The commander roars and thrusts his sword forward, and the army roars in response, and begins running towards the battlements. The front line of Uruk-Hai rush toward the wall, and Aragorn shouts orders to the archers.

"Tangado halad!" (_**Prepare to fire!**_)

As one, the archer's ready their bows, nocking their arrows, standing at the ready. Alice envisions Legolas doing the same, not having to look over to see him do it. She squirms a bit inside her armor, and Aragorn hears the shuffling. He turns and looks at her.

"Amin gorgamin sen." She says quietly. He keeps his arm raised. (_**I fear them.**_)

"Uuma dela. Amin sinta thaliolle e dagor." He smiles at her. "It'll be okay, Alice." She holds his gaze for just one second longer, and then looks out at the army before them, nodding once. He watches her for just another minute, before turning back. Aragorn brings his arm down, "Leithio i philinn!" (_**Don't worry. I know your strength in battle… Release arrows!**_)

The archers release their arrows and they find their marks. With every Uruk-Hai that falls, two more replace him. Alice is horrified to be reminded, now of all times, of the Hydra from Greek legend.

"Fire!" Gamling shouts from somewhere nearby. The order is passed to the Men, and the arrows fly.

Many more Uruk-Hai are felled but the advance continues. The army continues advancing on Helm's Deep. Volley after volley of arrows are launched into the fray killing the front line over and over, but the advance cannot be halted. Uruk-Hai launch arrows from crossbows into the Alliance. Elves and Men fall to their doom among the approaching throng. The Uruk-Hai produces ladders and mounts them against the wall. Aragorn and Alice look down at this new peril.

"Pendraid!" He shouts. "Swords, swords!" He quickly tells the archers, and the Elves swiftly draw their swords to prepare for close combat. Aragorn turns to Alice. "Now it begins." He's a bit surprised to see her steely gaze. (_**Ladders!**_)

"Gurth 'ni yrch!" She screams at the top of her lungs, and the Elves cheer behind her. Aragorn grins broadly. (_**Death to the Orcs!**_)

The Uruk-Hai begins pouring over the wall. The Men and Elves begin the battle against them. Alice begins keeping mental count. She kills the Uruk's as they come, but finds it hard, as she has become dependent on finding a rhythm, and cannot find one here. She turns to Aragorn.

"Hey, Aragorn!" He looks over to her, "Eight!" He rolls his eyes and laughs before quickly taking out an Orc, before turning back to her.

"Eleven!"

"_Damnit!"_

The battle rages on. More and more siege ladders are raised against Helm's Deep as more and more Uruk-Hai flood in.

A large team of Uruk-Hai shield themselves like a turtle and makes their way up the causeway to the main gate. Arrows bounce off the shields like flicked rubber bands. Aragorn notices the peril on the causeway, and he runs through the archers, shouting orders.

"Na fennas!" (_**Causeway!**_)

The Elvish archers turn and fire at the Uruk-Hai on the causeway. The soldiers on the sides of the turtle formation fall but the turtle itself keeps advancing. Alice swears this is all taken straight out of Greek and Roman history at this point.

Two Uruk-Hai carry a spiked ball towards the sluice gate of Helm's Deep. They place it within, and two more quickly follow to place a second spiked ball within. The Uruk's make a clear path for another, armed with a sparkling torch, to make a clear run for the sluice gate. Aragorn sees the approaching Uruk-Hai. He turns and yells to Legolas.

"Togo hon dad, Legolas!" (_**Bring him down, Legolas!**_)

The Elf prince fires several arrows at the Uruk-Hai, but he continues to run. Aragorn and Alice desperately point to the berserker.

"Dago hon! Dago hon!" They both scream out. (_**Kill him! Kill him!**_)

The Uruk, even having been shot twice in the shoulders, collapses, letting the torch hit the fuse. Alice holds her breath, bracing herself.

A MASSIVE EXPLOSION DESTROYS AN ENTIRE SECTION OF THE WALL THROWING MEN AND URUKS IN ITS WAKE! (**I saw this in the script I use for the movie, and I was like, "... yeah, okay, I'll just leave that in there as it is, lol" - JL1843)**

Aragorn, Alice, Legolas, and Gimli are all thrown to the ground from the explosion. Aragorn and Alice land on the dirt behind where the wall once was, and Legolas and Gimli manage to stay atop. Massive chunks of stone come down and flatten portions of the Uruk-Hai army. Water flows out of the breach, and Uruk's flow in.

Alice awakens only a few seconds later, having just blacked out. She's quickly on her feet, and sees a hoard of Uruk's flooding in through the whole in the wall. Her eyes widen.

"ARAGORN!" Gimli shouts from atop the wall, "ALICE!" He jumps from the top of the wall into the hoard.

"Gimli!" They both shout in response as he begins hacking away at the Uruk's. He's quickly overpowered and knocked underwater. "Hado i philinn!" Aragorn commands the Elves standing behind them, raising his arm and lowering it in one swift movement. Alice holds perfectly still as a huge volley of arrows rushes past her and into the Uruk's before her. The Orcs are felled, but many more follow in their wake. "Herio!" Aragorn shouts. (_**Hurl the arrows!... Charge!**_)

The Elves charge the approaching Uruk-Hai. When contact is made, ground is neither lost nor gained. Aragorn, Alice, and the Elves valiantly battle their enemy with much success. Aragorn reaches below the surface of the water and pulls Gimli to the surface, who coughs and sputters with fresh air. Aragorn drags him to temporary safety, Alice slowly retreating to follow them and make sure they don't get hurt. The Elves and Uruk-Hai continue their battle at the gap in the Deeping Wall.

The endless sea of Uruk-Hai swarm into Helm's Deep. Aragorn, Alice, Legolas, and Gimli fight tirelessly against the onslaught, killing all that stand in their way. Alice has finally managed to find her rhythm, and it turns her into a deadly force to not be reckoned with. Aragorn looks up as a voice cuts across the battle.

"Aragorn! Fall back to the Keep! Get your Men out of there!" Aragorn signals the fighters.

"Na Barad! Na Barad!" Alice hears him repeat the order to Haldir as she and Legolas drag Gimli off the field, struggling with the protesting Dwarf. (_**To the Keep! Pull back to the Keep!**_)

"What are you doing? What are you stopping for?"

The battle rages on.

Alice is quick to seek out and find Aragorn, not surprised that he's making his way to the newly breeched main gate. The two both stop and very, very quickly greet Théoden King, Aragorn by putting a hand on his shoulder and Alice by giving him a fast nod. They join the fray, Gimli right behind them. Théoden yells from behind them.

"Hold them!"

"How long do you need?" Aragorn responds, and the King takes his sword in his hand.

"As long as you can give me." The ranger nods, and glances around.

"Gimli! Alice!" The trio slips out a side exit, largely unnoticed, as the Men rush to hold the gate.

_A few minutes later…_

An ignored door on the side of a tower near the gate opens slight. Aragorn peeps out. Seeing no immediate danger, he, Gimli, and Alice creep out and sidle along the outside of the wall. They stop at the bend, and Aragorn peeps very carefully around the corner for only a second before sidling the wall again.

"Come on," Gimli says desperately, "We can take 'em!" Aragorn looks at Gimli sidelong with a smirk.

"It's a long way." Alice's eyes widen, wondering how far it must be for him to make such a comment. Both she and Gimli take a peek, before stepping back and looking into the distance. She takes a fast, deep breath, mentally prepping herself. She glances at Gimli out of the corner of her eye, and sees his embarrassed look.

"Toss me." He mumbles quietly.

"What?" Aragorn asks, slow and cautious. Alice turns her head, eyes widened with shock at the Dwarf's words, in a way that would make Stewie Griffin proud. Aragorn glances up at her, and she can tell he is fighting back the bark of laughter she can already see dancing on his lips.

"I cannot jump the distance. You'll have to toss me!" Gimli says quickly. The ranger nods slowly, and turns to lift the Dwarf. "Oh..." He turns and gives a meaningful glance at Alice. "… don't tell the Elf." Alice fakes a coughing fit to loosen some of the laughter playing behind her teeth.

"Not a word." Aragorn says, still using the slow and cautious tone.

With one swift move, Aragorn tosses Gimli across the span and into the throng of Uruk-Hai, taking them by complete surprise. The ranger turns back and quirks an eyebrow at Alice, holding out a hand to offer her a toss, but she motions with her head for him to go. He nods once, and then turns and leaps, joining the fray. Alice takes another deep breath, takes a step back, and then charges around the corner, Ringil drawn. She leaps across the distance…

And lands into the body of a now-deceased Uruk!

The combined power of the three mighty warriors quickly begins clearing the causeway, allowing the soldiers behind them to begin repairing and re-barricading the door. Alice silently prays to whatever gods are listening to keep Legolas safe as she sees more ladders with more Uruk's being raised against the upper battlements of Helm's Deep.

Aragorn and Gimli stay out of Alice's way as Ringil, spinning with a fury no one has ever seen, slices and dices the Uruk-Hai with little effort. She doesn't hear Théoden as the gate is finished.

"Gimli! Aragorn! Alice! Get out of there!" He shouts just before the last board is put into place. Legolas calls to them from the top of the battlements.

"ARAGORN!" He begins lowering a rope down, and Aragorn turns to see Alice still hacking away at her foes.

"ALICE!" She stabs an Uruk through, and then turns. "UP THE ROPE!" She nods once, kills off another Uruk, and then turns to run.

As soon as the rope is low enough, she starts clambering up it to make room for Aragorn and Gimli beneath her. Her two friends defend her as she begins ascending. The ranger grabs the rope with one hand, the Dwarf with the other, and Elves above hoist them up. It's a slow process, and only once does the acrophobic make the mistake of looking down to see how her friends are doing. Aragorn, seeing how fast she looks away from them and clamps a hand to her mouth, recalls her fear.

"DON'T LOOK DOWN, ALICE!" He shouts, fearing she may let go if she does. She nods vigorously, trying to keep her lunch down.

A moment later, she feels a familiar hand grasp hers, and in a heartbeat she's over the wall and in the arms of Legolas. He hugs her tight, kissing her in what she would almost describe as jubilation at having her back. When he finally pulls away, she gives him a grave stare.

"Don't ever let me do something that stupid again." He nods once, and the two kiss again.

"If yer quite done, laddie, we've got bigger problems!" Gimli says as he and Aragorn wait for them to finish their moment. Aragorn looks over the edge, and watches the Orc's break through the gate.

"They have broken through! The castle is breached! Retreat!" He screeches out as they all run inside the castle.

_The next morning…_

Alice furiously scrubs the sweat from her eyes, feeling them burn. She can feel the thousands of tiny cuts, scrapes, and bruises that litter her body now that her adrenaline has allowed to her relax. Every breath is a labor, every heartbeat a burden. She hasn't known exhaustion – or pain – like this since she was sixteen, after she started working for Harry Zigler at the Moulin Rouge. Legolas hugs her tight to himself, and she can feel him tensing with each bang of the battering ram against the hall door, where they are now trapped. The soldiers work to barricade the door, and Théoden watches with despair.

"The fortress is taken. It is over." Aragorn runs to the King, and Alice and Legolas start picking up nearby furniture.

"You said this fortress would never fall while your Men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it."

Another loud crunch.

"Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Aragorn asks, and Théoden doesn't answer, standing silently while staring at the floor. "Is there no other way?" Gamling speaks up.

"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-Hai are too many." Alice places another chair against the door.

Another deafening crunch.

"Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance." Aragorn commands Gamling, pleading with him. Théoden looks over to them.

"So much death." The two men turn to look at him. "What can Men do against such reckless hate?"

Another sickening crack at the door.

Aragorn stops to think for a moment, and then turns, speaking quietly to Théoden.

"Ride out with me." The king turns, confused. "Ride out and meet them." Théoden walks to the ranger, a light glimmering in his eyes.

"For death and glory." He responds.

"For Rohan. For your people." Gimli looks up at the window to the hall.

"The sun is rising." He says, and Alice can't tell if it's pointed or off-handedly. Her and Aragorn turn to the window, the first light of day streams through it. She remembers Gandalf's words.

"_Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn ... look to the east."_ She looks at Aragorn, who returns her stare. She smirks, giving him an, "I-so-told-you-so" look. He rolls his eyes half-heartedly, and then looks back to Théoden with grim determination.

"Yes. Yes. The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!" Gimli looks over to them with excitement.

"Yes!"

CRUNCH! The force of the battering ram throws men to the ground, who scramble back up to hold it. Théoden places his hand on Aragorn's shoulder.

"Let this be the hour," Alice walks over from where she stood next to Legolas and the door, to the King, and he places his other hand on her shoulder as well. "…when we draw swords together." Aragorn nods, understanding fully.

_A few minutes later…_

The ram crunches against the door again.

"Fell deeds awake...now for wrath...now for ruin and a red dawn!" THÉODEN places his helmet on his head. They hear Gimli blow on the horn. It sounds a deep blast across the depths of Helm's Deep. The Uruk-Hai break the door and begin swarming in. Théoden raises his sword. "Forth Eorlingas!" The decimated army, now on horseback, charges out of the hall. Alice rides with Legolas, both having swords drawn. She clings to his middle as they race out the door.

As they run down the causeway, Ringil sings with the blood of the Uruks, cleaving its way through them. It does not pause for anyone or anything, slicing through the armor of the Uruk-Hai like butter. Until it hears the call of Shadowfax.

Alice looks up, to see Gandalf sitting upon the chief of the Maeras, the sun shining behind him. Suddenly, Éomer appears at his side, and with him, all of his soldiers. She vaguely hears the men shout their cries of 'For the King!' from this distance. She grins broadly as they come racing down the hill. She cannot help herself.

"BOO-YAH!"

The Rohirrim quickly decimate the five hundred or so remaining Uruk-Hai. Alice hops off her horse, runs into the fray, and finds Éomer, his horse laying next to him, dead. She sees an Uruk about to cleave his head off his shoulders, and quickly brings up Ringil to stop the Uruk's blade. Éomer spins around, hearing the clang, and sees her standing there, defending him. He stares, open-mouthed, as she makes very quick work of the Uruk, killing him with little effort. When she turns and smiles at him, he nods once in appreciation. After that, it doesn't take them much longer to work their way back over to the survivors of Helm's Deep.

"Victory!" She hears Théoden yell, "We have victory!" Aragorn looks up with relief, the battle is over.

The fleeing Uruk-Hai run from Helm's Deep, over a ridge, and into the plains. Standing on the other side of the ridge is a large forest, which the Uruk's quickly run for. Théoden, Aragorn (and Alice, who has switched over to ride with him), Éomer, and the rest of the Rohirrim ride to the top of the ridge and stop.

"Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Éomer orders, and he looks with fear at the forest that has sprung up. Alice taps Aragorn's shoulder, and he turns his head to listen. She points at the forest.

"Was that there a few days ago?" She whispers, and he shakes his head. Her eyes widen. He grins at her reaction.

Screams emit from the forest. The trees have killed the Uruk-Hai.

_Later…_

Soldiers pile the bodies of the dead Uruk-Hai. Legolas and Alice walk through the carnage and spot Gimli, smoking his pipe. Legolas stops, stroking his bow.

"Final count...42." Alice's jaw drops.

"Forty-two?" Gimli says in mock adoration. "That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on 43." The expression of triumph on Legolas' face drops off very quickly. Suddenly, he fires an arrow at the Uruk that Gimli sits upon.

"Forty-three." He says, smirking.

"He was already dead." The Dwarf corrects.

"He was twitching."

"He was twitching because he's got my axe," Gimli's voice raises in irritation, "buried in his nervous system!" The Dwarf demonstrates by working the axe in the Uruk's head. The hands and feet twitch as he does. Alice gets a momentary grossed out look.

"Well, boys, that's not bad." They both turn to her with some slight surprise. "I'm proud of your work." She grins broadly. "But I'm standing on a lovely 47." Both the men's shoulders immediately sag. She giggles, and they glare at her. She waves cheerfully, and walks off to go find Gandalf.

_Sometime later…_

Alice walks through the dense forest listlessly. She's not totally certain where she is, but it seems familiar. She comes upon a beach, and sits down by the water. She waits.

"Good day, Lady Alice." Calls a strong voice, and she immediately stands. From around a tree comes an Elf dressed all in white. "My name is Oromë." A gasp escapes her, and he smiles. "You know of me from your studies with Elrond." It's not a question. She nods in response. "Good."

"Where are we?" She asks after a pause. He smiles again, but this one is grim.

"Surely you recognize this place." There's another pause, and she slowly shakes her head. He holds out a hand to gesture across the water. When she looks past him, she sees a boat sitting across the lake, and two people, Hobbits most likely, entering the dense forest on the other side. She remembers.

"This is the last place I saw Frodo." He nods once. She looks up at him. "Why have you come to speak to me about Frodo?" He quirks an eyebrow.

"How do you know this is about Frodo?" She rolls her eyes.

"Because everything is about Frodo. And this place is significant to me regarding him, as it's the last place as I ever saw him." He chuckles.

"You do catch on quick. Good." His face grows grim. "Your part in the quest to destroy the Ring is not yet over. You only have two or so more days left in the company of Isildur's heir. When the nephew of the Horse King brings you to safety, you must search for a black horse who responds to the name of Nahar within the stables. Tell him the words 'noro lim' before you mount him, and he will not harm you when you attempt to ride him. From there, you must ride out to Osgiliath in Gondor, and save Frodo from the hands of the Nazgûl. After that, you will be visited again, and receive further instruction." She shakes her head.

"Wait, what? Why? Why can't I ride out to Isengard with the others?" Oromë sighs.

"You will be riding to Isengard tomorrow. But… Galadriel never told you what would happen if you had not arrived in this world at all, did she?" She quirks an eyebrow. "I thought not." He sighs again. "In Moria, Gimli son of Glóin would have been lost at the hands of the cave troll, and then Gandalf at the hands of the Balrog." She gasps, her eyes wide. "At Amon Hen, both Aragorn and Boromir would have died because of the Uruk-Hai. Legolas would have left to follow Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, leaving Meriadoc and Peregrin to die at the hands of Saruman, having been beaten into submission and told the corrupted wizard about Frodo carrying the One Ring. Legolas would have been taken by the Nazgûl that attacks them at Osgiliath. Rohan would have fallen that first night during the battle for Helm's Deep. Samwise would have killed Gollum just after the battle, and then died at the hands of Shelob, an evil thing in spider form. Frodo would have been taken by the temptations of the Ring, and then killed at the hands of Sauron." By the end, sobs wrack Alice's body, tears stream down her face. Oromë sits down by her in the sand, and brushes away her hair. She looks up at him from underneath her eyelashes. "You are the key, Alice. This is not the story you know." She holds his gaze for a moment.

"Nephew of Théoden, Nahar, black horse, noro lim, Osgiliath, kill the Nazgûl, save Frodo." She closes her eyes, committing it to memory, and then hangs her head. "If it is the will of Valar, then I will see it done." It's a cold, heartless statement. He cups her chin, and makes her look up into his eyes.

"Be brave, Alice. You have many miles to go." The words sound hollow in her ears, a cheap replica of what Aragorn once told her. "You have your greatest trial ahead of you. Your past is about to meet your present and your future. Your mother's name, once a gift, will now be your curse." She takes a shaky breath.

"Okay. Anything else?" He smiles sadly.

"I am sorry that we have to put you through this. If you don't leave now and stop the Nazgûl, Faramir, son of Denethor will take the Ring and everything will be undone. He will do what Boromir failed to do." Another sob escapes unexpectedly at the sound of Boromir's name, and his visage begins to fade. "Be strong. It's not quite over yet, Alice… Alice…"

"Alice?"

She sits up straight, a thick sheen of sweat covering her face, and she gasps for air. She can taste the salt water of her tears. Legolas holds her to him, quieting her as the sobs return, wracking her body once more. The tears are of shock and of slight joy, now that she realizes it was just a dream. He shushes her, rocking her gently until the tears subside.

It's the night Gandalf arrived, and they're leaving first thing in the morning for Isengard. They spent the afternoon pouring over maps and preparing their things for departure. It's a half day's ride out there. They leave at dawn. Legolas insisted that they share a room, fearful she would have night terrors, seeing as it was the first time she'd slept since the beginning of her first major battle she'd fought without the help of Fingolfin. Théoden was reluctant to agree, but Aragorn supported him, saying that no one would be able to help her like Legolas. Eventually, they managed to convince him to allow it. Alice had been getting ready for bed, so wasn't there to argue or be involved. She was pleasantly surprised to find the Elf prince climbing into bed with her, but too exhausted to do much about it but tell him goodnight.

"Are you alright?" He asks her after the tears subsided. She nods.

"I was visited." He freezes, and then looks at her. She looks up at him, and he wipes away her tears. "One of the Valar." His eyes widen. "Oromë was his name." His mouth falls open. "He told me I have to go. I have to go to Osgiliath in Gondor. I have to save Frodo from Faramir, son of Denethor."

"Denethor?" He finally asks, the shock wearing off a bit. "Boromir's father?" She nods, and he hugs her again, rubbing her arms. "What's in Osgiliath?" He asks himself quietly.

"A Nazgûl." She answers, just as quiet, and she feels him freeze again.

"No." He says after a tense moment. She looks up at him. "No, I'm not letting you run off to fight a Nazgûl on your own." She shakes her head.

"I have no choice, Legolas. I have my orders. It's me or Frodo." She smiles sadly. "I'm as much a soldier in this as Gamling. I have to follow my orders." She shrugs, still sad. "I just get them from the Valar." He sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow. When the others can hear this." She nods, accepting this for an answer. "We should sleep."

Within seconds of laying back down, the young couple is fast asleep.

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><p><strong>Found a way, thanks to Blade, my brother, to extend this story out and make it last a bit longer. w00t. <strong>**Fyi, I didn't talk about it here, but this is the part where Haldir dies. Oh, and first person to remember the history of Nahar gets cookies! =D**

**Luna - Haha, yup! That's very much Alice, hahahaha. I felt so terrible for Gamling when writing that scene. "Don't shoot the messenger" totally fits there, too, lol. XD**

**Lady Minuialwen - Of course! Haha.**

_Next time, on Alice in Middle Earth: The Two Towers_

_Alice's greatest foe, Saruman the White, awaits her arrival at Isengard, along with her two friends, Merry and Pippin. Frodo is in peril, the Nazgul attack Osgiliath, and Faramir can feel the temptations of the Ring. What to Omore mean by her past will meet with her present? Why, or better yet, how is Eomer going to save Alice? Find out next time!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Apologies for the delay, was really busy yesterday getting some stuff settled for school next week. But I have a long chapter to make up for it! =D**

**The beginning is, technically, from The Return of the King, but... whatever. Lol. XD**

**WARNING: MATURE THEMES IN THIS CHAPTER**

**Disclaimer: I only own Alice.**

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><p>Alice rides behind Legolas on their horse as they go warily through the forest. Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Théoden, and Éomer also ride with them.<p>

"Gandalf," Alice says in almost a whisper, and the wizard turns to look at her, "I can hear voices from up ahead." Legolas nods in agreement.

"It sounds like… laughter." The Elf says, and everyone immediately has a confused look.

"… Definitely from the Shire. Longbottom leaf, eh?" Says one voice.

"Uh-huh." A pause. "I feel like I'm back at the Green Dragon." Legolas turns in his saddle to look at Alice, his eyes wide and a smile on his face. Alice returns it, she knows those voices. When they come around the corner, Pippin gives a cheer and salutes them with his mug of beer. Merry stands up, wobbly and obviously tipsy.

"Welcome, my lords," he does a sweeping gesture to the tower behind him, "to Isengard!"

"You young rascals!" Gimli cries, "A merry hunt you've led us on and now we find you feasting and… and smoking!" Pippin's words come out slurred, and Alice giggles.

"We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well earned comforts!" He takes a bite from his sandwich. "The salted pork is particularly good." Alice's mouth waters, and she hops off from the horse to go to the Hobbits. Pippin stands quickly, and gives her a hug while handing off an apple to her. "Try this one! It's really good!"

"Salted pork…" She hears Gimli mutter behind her.

"Hobbits!" Gandalf says with a scoff, and she rolls her eyes at him.

"We're under orders, from Treebeard!" Merry tells them before handing Alice a sandwich he just made, and she scarves it down, seeing as she didn't have time to have breakfast that morning. "Who's taken over management of Isengard."

A few minutes later, they enter the stone ring around Isengard, Pippin and Merry now riding with them, and Alice still eating her apple. A huge, walking, talking, tree approaches them.

"Hoooom, young master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come." Alice drops her apple, and her mouth. "Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there is a Wizard to manage here locked in his tower." Aragorn looks up at the tower.

"Show yourself!" He calls out.

"Be careful," Gandalf warns, "Even in defeat, Saruman is still dangerous."

"Well then let's just have his head and be done with it." Gimli says with slight irritation.

"No, we need him alive. We need him to talk."

"You have fought many wars and slain many men Théoden King and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace you and I?" Alice shudders at the sound of Saruman's voice, her recurring nightmares about him bubbling to the forefront of her mind.

"We shall have peace. We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there!" Théoden shouts, anger rising. "We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace!"

"Gibbets and crows!" Saruman says, "Dotard! What do you want Gandalf Grahame? Let me guess… the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad-Dûr itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!" Alice gulps quietly.

"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel." Gandalf pleads.

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." He holds up the palantir and looks into it, "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it!" He puts the orb away, "Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon." Gandalf rides forward bravely. "You are all going to die! But you know this don't you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned King." Aragorn looks at him with an unreadable expression. "Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him… those he professes to love! Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death." Alice looks away, her unease giving away to straight up discomfort. "Oh yes, young Alice of New Orleans." At the sound of her name, she snaps her head up to look at the wizard. "Were you so wise in trusting that which you knew so little about?" Her throat constricts, fear stopping her from speaking.

"I've heard enough! Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!" Legolas reaches for an arrow.

"No! Come down Saruman and your life will be spared!"

"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" Saruman launches a bolt of fire at Gandalf, and it consumes him for only a moment before simply vanishing.

"Saruman….. your staff is broken!" The staff in the wizard's hand bursts into pieces. Gríma suddenly appears behind him.

"Gríma! You need not follow him! You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down." The sycophant seems conflicted, and looks like he will make his way down. Alice stares at the King, incredulous. He doesn't notice.

"A man of Rohan? What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helms Deep does not belong to you Théoden Horse Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires!" Not seeing any kind of reaction from anyone, Alice raises her right hand and flips off Saruman. He doesn't pay her any mind.

"Gríma, come down! Be free of him!"

"Free? He will never be free!"

"No!" Gríma cries, and Saruman spins around to look at him.

"Get down, cur!" He slaps him to the ground. Alice quirks an eyebrow. _"Men should not be allowed to __bitchslap other men."_

"Saruman!" Gandalf calls again, regaining the other wizard's attention. "You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!" No one sees Gríma's knife.

"You withdraw your guard and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here!" Suddenly, Wormtongue appears, and stabs his master in the back twice with his small dagger. Legolas, in the span of heartbeat, reaches for, pulls out, nocks, and fires an arrow. It punctures Gríma's heart. They both fall, dead. Gríma to the black ground of Orthanc behind him, and Saruman onto a spike of a great wheel at the base of the tower. There's a moment of silence as everyone tries to keep down their lunches.

"Send word to all our allies and to every corner of Middle Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike." The water wheel turns silently, and Saruman disappears beneath the water head first. The orb drops from his robes into the water.

"The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back to live here." Pippin hops down from his horse, "Young trees. Wild trees."

"Pippin!" Aragorn calls as the Hobbit moves towards the Palantir. Pippin stares into its depth for a moment.

"Bless my bark!" Treebeard exclaims.

"Peregrin Took," Gandalf says, "I'll take that, my lad! Quickly now!" Pippin hands the Palantir to him and he wraps it up. He looks sheepish at Gandalf and watches him intently as he turns away. He sends a quick glance at Alice who shrugs at him, and he smiles before hopping back up with Aragorn.

_That evening…_

Alice watches in silence as Éowyn offers a goblet of wine up Théoden as she kneels before him. They're back at the Golden Hall of Edoras, and they are celebrating their victory. Éowyn goes to stand behind him, and Théoden offers a toast.

"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country." He offers up the goblet to them, "Hail the victorious dead!"

"Hail!" The people shout in response, Alice not among them, since she doesn't know to. She simply raises her glass with them, but hesitates before drinking.

Haldir's eyes flash before her own, red hot with rage against her. She smiles weakly, a laugh dying in her throat, tainted by the memory of his death. She takes a quiet sip of her wine. She didn't find out that Haldir had died until this morning when she asked Aragorn about where he was. Her voice constricts in her throat again, remembering that he told her that it was just after she and Legolas had dragged Gimli off the battlefield.

"_If only I had been there… I could have done something! I could have saved him!"_ She thinks bitterly, wishing more than anything to be able to go back. She goes outside silently, unaware of two wizard eyes, two ranger eyes, two Elvish eyes, two Dwarfish eyes, and four Hobbit eyes watching her back as she opens and closes the door. When she spots a nearby tree, she dumps her glass of wine into the dirt beneath it.

"You alright, lassie?" She jumps, having been lost in her own thoughts. In the heartbeat it takes her to spin around and face the voice, Ringil is drawn and pointed at Gimli's beard. He takes a step back, almost falling. Seeing it's the Dwarf, Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas standing behind her, she heaves a breath and puts the cold sword away.

"Sorry, Gimli." She apologizes swiftly, "I was… thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Gandalf asks, smiling. A pained expression crosses her face, and she glances up at Aragorn.

"Haldir." Her voices catches in her throat for just a second, and she clears it to help her speak again. "I… I didn't even know him. But, somehow…" She sighs, irritated, "God, I just know I could have done something." She runs a hand through her hair. "If I had only been there, I could have done something." They can see the pain splayed across her features.

"There's nothing you could have done, Alice." Aragorn tells her. She stands quickly, and turns to face the four.

"No, I can't accept that. I just know in my heart that if I hadn't busied myself with dragging you," she looks at Gimli, no anger in her voice at him, but just a small amount of disdain, "out of the battlefield, I could have gone up there and helped him. I could have saved him!" Legolas walks forward, and stands a few steps beneath her on the grand staircase so that they can see eye-to-eye. He puts his hands on her shoulders and his forehead against hers.

"A'maelamin, there is nothing you could have done. You did everything you could." He smiles, albeit sadly, "You can't save them all." Her expression hardens slightly.

"But I'll save as many as I can." He rolls his eyes, and then kisses her softly.

"That's my Alice." She scoffs as he turns her around to walk back inside.

"Hell, I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over this anyway; I didn't even like the guy." The four men laugh as they walk up the steps into the Golden Hall.

"No pauses," Éomer says, putting down three glasses, one before Gimli, one before Alice, and one before Legolas, "no spills." One is then set before Éomer as well.

"And no regurgitation!" Alice quirks an eyebrow at the laughter that follows.

"So, it's a drinking game." Legolas half asks, half states.

"Aye!" Cry the Rohirrim, laughing more, most of them already drunk.

"Well, gentlemen, this should be interesting." She says, picking up her glass and swirling its contents.

"Never before has a woman participated in our drinking game." Says Éomer, looking at her with a smirk from across the table. "I am curious to see how you perform against us." She returns his smirk, remembering how she used to be able to drink most men she drank against under the table.

"Last one standing wins, lassie!" Gimli tells her, laughing as he does so.

He sits on her right, and Legolas on her left. He puts his tankard to his lips, and drinks it all in one long go. Everyone looks to Legolas, who's next. He slowly lifts up his drink, looking at Alice with slight fear in his eyes. She simply nods her head at him to encourage him, still smirking. The two of them aren't actually competing against each other, but against those across from them. It's supposed to be two games at once, but they decided to take turns so they can watch each other very closely.

Éomer smiles at Legolas, lifts up his glass, salutes the Elf, and stares down Alice as he calmly drinks his tankard. She simply quirks an eyebrow at him as he slowly drinks the entire glass. When he sets down the tankard, she gulps quietly, remembering that when she drank those men from her time under the table… they were doing vodka shots. An entire pint of ale is far from one tiny shot. She prays to whatever god that's listening that the ale has a low alcohol content to make up for the size difference.

"Ohhhhh!" All the men around them chant, their voices building as Alice's glass is raised higher and higher above her head as she finishes the drink. She sets down the tankard on the table with a slam, and the cheers immediately die out now that she's done. Legolas smiles at her, and nods his head just as she had a moment ago.

"What is all this?" A familiar voice says from behind her, and Alice spins in her chair to face the White Wizard. This time, her gulp is very, very audible. "Alice," he says slowly, "Do you have some sort of explanation for all this?" He smiles down at her, trying to contain his laughter.

"Éomer challenged me to a drinking game." She says, immediately casting the blame on her opponent, and then looks behind Gandalf to see Théoden, Éowyn, and Aragorn standing behind him, all of them with very, very large smiles on their faces. Théoden walks forward.

"Never before has a woman participated in the drinking game," he says, repeating his nephew from earlier, "Are you so certain this was a wise choice?" He directs at Éomer, who grins sheepishly.

"She wanted to play with Legolas and Gimli, so I said I would play against her." Éowyn walks up and pats Alice on the shoulder, smiling broadly.

"I've been trying for years to get them to let me play, I'm proud of you for managing to do what I couldn't." The men laugh, remembering her attempts to play. She smiles, and pats Éowyn's hand on her shoulder.

"Well, they have reason," in the span of a blink of an eye, Alice draws and points Ringil at Éomer across from her, still grinning, "… to be afraid." She puts her sword away immediately, not wishing to cause any trouble. Suddenly, one of the men shouts.

"Ten gold coins on Éomer! Any takers?" Shouts are heard from all sides of the hall. One man placed a fifty gold coin bet on Gimli, and another man immediately called it. But, by the end, everyone could tell who the favorites were. Gimli and Éomer. No one thought that the two 'light weights' would be able to win. Then the big surprise came.

"I will bet," Aragorn starts, walking up to the table, "three hundred gold coins," he dumps a small, heavy bag onto the table in the direct center, "on Alice Dawn." There's a moment of total silence… until Gimli sets his tankard back on the table, since he went on ahead and took his turn while the bets were being placed. He burps loudly.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea, laddie? That's a lot of gold." Aragorn puts a hand on Alice's shoulder as Legolas begins his turn, and he shakes it gently.

"I have faith."

_Later…_

Alice lays down on the table, her arms splayed out in front of her (one palm up and one palm down), and her face resting on her shoulder. Gimli seems to be barely aware of anything as he sits calmly next to her. Legolas is in perfect health, almost like he hadn't started drinking yet. Éomer sits across from her, looking a bit green in the face as he sets his tankard down on the table.

"C'mon, Lady Alice, it's your turn." Slurs a drunk behind her as he sets a glass in front of her.

She mumbles something about the loser having to pick up the tab as she tries to sit up straight. A few giggles are heard around the room as she slips a couple of times, but she manages to steady herself. She estimates she's just getting into her 'drunk' state, as she tends to get sleepy when she gets drunk. She glances around the room warily, and spots Aragorn watching her intently from across the room. She waves drunkenly, and he simply smiles. She picks up the tankard before her, and puts it to her lips. The drink itself reminds her of drinking oil for some strange reason, but she blames it on her taking huge gulps of it so it feels thicker than it actually is. A minute later, she's got it down. She stares down Éomer tiredly.

"You should give up now, Emmy." Unbeknownst to her, she's been calling Éomer 'Emmy' for about twenty minutes now. He's too drunk to correct her, or even really respond.

About an hour ago, they decided to speed up the game by making the opponents take their turns at the same time. Unfortunately, Alice keeps forgetting this, so really, only Gimli and Legolas drink at the same time. The Dwarf farts next to her.

"Heh heh heh heh," She observes that he's starting to look the worse for wear, "Here, here." He takes another tankard, "Raaar it's the dwarves that go swimming with little, hairy women haha." He burps loudly, and drinks more.

"I feel something." Legolas says, looking at his fingers and Éomer raises an eyebrow. "A slight tingle in my fingers. I think it's affecting me." He looks more concerned than he ought, in Alice's opinion.

"Heh heh heh," Gimli's words slur as he speaks, "What did I say? He can't hold his liquor." His eyes are crossed and he sits quiet for a moment, then keels over backwards off his stool. Alice laughs harder than is probably sociably acceptable. Legolas watches him fall, raises his eyebrows and looks over at Éomer.

"Game over!" Éomer suddenly gets up and runs out the door, his hand clamped to his mouth. "Where do you think he's going?" Legolas asks Alice, genuinely curious. The brunette woman grins.

"He couldn't hold his liquor, Legolas." Alarmed, the Elf Prince looks back down the path the King's nephew just took off towards. Alice pats his hand. "Don't worry about 'im, he'll be fine… the day after tomorrow." She tells him, realizing she's going to have a massive hangover tomorrow. Éowyn suddenly appears between them, grabs a hand from each of them and holds it high above their heads.

"We have our winners!" Everyone turns, and is surprised at who it is. Aragorn walks forward to collect his earnings, and Alice waltz's over to him.

"Why did you bet on me?" He grins at her, and then leans in close to whisper in her ear.

"I figured that if you're really from the future, you probably are accustomed to drinking much, much stronger ale's than what we serve here." She rolls her eyes, and pats him on the shoulder as he leans away.

"Well, you were right." Éomer comes back to the main room at that moment, and he walks over to Alice to clap her on the shoulder.

"Good game, Lady Alice, daughter of Roxanne." Unbeknownst to them, one of the King's servants was just fetching another pint of ale for Théoden, and overheard their conversation. His eyes widen at the name, and he quickly snatches up the tankard and returns to the King's side. A moment later, the older King raises his voice above the din.

"Lady Alice!" She freezes, his tone telling her she's in deep, now. The ruckus about them immediately dies down, and everyone turns to stare at her as she looks up at King Théoden. "Come here, please." She sends a fast glance at Aragorn, and then slowly walks towards the throne down a tiny aisle between two tables. He fastens a hard glare at her. "Alice, would you please tell the congregation here your full name and heritage." She swallows.

"Lady Alice Terra Dawn, daughter of Roxanne Josephine Dawn." All the noise in the Golden Hall stops as everyone now stares at her, but this time, with harsh glares in their eyes. "If I may ask, great King, why are you asking this of me?" She asks, noticing how his angry look intensified at the sound of her mother's name.

"In the early days of Rohan," he begins slowly, "There was a troop of young, single women who were headed by an older woman named Roxanne. They all took on her name as a symbol as to whom and what they were. In our language, the term for them is 'harlot', which in the Common Tongue would mean 'prostitute'." Her eyes widen considerably, and suddenly Oromë's words ring loud and clear in her mind. "Eorl the Young, after having several cases where women took their children and fled from the presence of their husbands since they dealt greatly with the Roxanne's, made it punishable by death to sell one's body that way." She swallows again. "All of the original Roxanne's were executed, along with the head Roxanne. Today, however small, there are still groups of women who prefer to partake in this practice; they're simply very good about hiding it. They are called the Daughters of Roxanne." She closes her eyes, realization dawning on her. "Do you have any explanation for this… coincidence?"

"No, sire. Prostitution was my means of money making back home. It is something I have not participated in for almost a year now."

"That," he hisses out, "is no excuse." He claps his hands, and immediately, all the soldiers in the room stand. "Begin the ceremony. Éomer?" The King's nephew appears from amongst the throng, and she turns to face him. She sees the apologetic look on his face as he approaches her. "Tell us, Lady Alice, do you have a costumer now?" Her face hardens.

"I am in love with Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm, if that is what you are asking." The crowd parts like the Red Sea so that he can very clearly see what's going on.

"Well, then," she can feel Théoden's eyes on her back, "Looks like we'll have to show him what it means to be in love with one such as you." She closes her eyes again, her mind already accepting her fate.

A violin begins to play, and Alice recognizes the tune as the beginning of a tango. Éomer begins to spin around her in the traditional way. She begins turning with him, and places her hand by the side of her face as her heels click against the wooden floor. She spins suddenly, and bringing her hand up, Éomer grabs it with his own hand and a slap of skin echoes in the room.

"First there is desire, and then passion," he pulls her back a little, dragging her in the way of the tango. She puts both arms around his neck, and he places one hand on the small of her back and the other on her thigh, slowly dragging it up. She spots one of the soldiers approaching her, and sticks her hand out towards him. "Then," he takes the hand she stuck out and pulls it out from behind him like he's caught her in a lie, "suspicion!" They back up, her unable to keep eye-contact, looks around the room at the other men. "Jealousy!" He spins her away, "Anger, betrayal!" The last word is said as she is grabbed by another man, and then spun back to Éomer. "When love is for the highest bidder," they dance a bit more, him holding her arms up painfully, "there can be no trust! Without trust, there can be no love!" He switches to just holding up one arm, gripping it so strong she fears he may leave a bruise, "Jealousy, yes, jealousy!" He finally releases her, and she holds her injured arm, backing away from him as he turns to look at Legolas. "While drive you… MAD!" By the time he has shouted the word and turned to face her again, another man has come up behind her, kissing her neck and starting to dance with her.

"_Roxanne…"_ As he finishes the word, another man also walks up, and takes her from the second, dancing the tango.

"_You don't have to put on that red light…_

_Walk the streets for money…"_ Now a fourth and even fifth man approach, one of them drag her away from the first two. They all know how to dance the tango in such a way that she simply switches between them with ease.

"_You don't care if it is wrong, or if it is right…"_ The fifth man quickly takes her away, kissing her at every possible turn.

"_Roxanne!"_ She can feel the hands of another man feeling her legs as the one before her crouches down, feeling her stomach. Éomer stands nearby, serenading her, and acting as though watching her dance with other men pains him to a great deal.

"_You don't have to wear that dress tonight._

_Roxanne!"_ One man lifts her up expertly, obviously being more experienced than the others, as Éomer sings out the next line.

"_You don't have to sell your body to the night."_ Alice doesn't see Théoden rise from his throne in the midst of the song, and circle them, watching like a hawk, until he suddenly starts singing as well.

"_His eyes upon your face…_

_His hand upon your hand…_

_His lips caress your skin…_

_It's more than I can stand!"_

During this, Alice is lowered in front of Éomer from where she was being held up, and she leans forward to kiss him, but he backs away. She notices maids, Éowyn among them, approaching and dancing with the seven or eight men she just danced with. Éomer turns around, walking to one end of the circle that has formed, and Alice turns to walk to the other side.

"_Roxanne!"_ Éomer calls her, and she spins around to see him looking at her with a pleading expression. She quickly turns from him, just as she had turned from many men who professed to love her in the past, and walks up the steps towards Théoden's throne.

"_Why does my heart cry?"_ Théoden sings out, still circling.

"_Roxanne!"_ Alice remembers her old ways, the prostitute within her emerging. One maid silently walks up behind her, stands so that she is in between Alice and the crowd, and helps her change into a scanty black dress.

"_Feelings I can't fight!"_ Alice spins out from the presence of the maid, who goes to join the others, dancing in a temptuous in her new dress. Théoden walks over to Alice, grabs her arm, and literally drags her down the center aisle between the men and women who dance about them. She realizes their destination, and tries to fight him, but ultimately fails as Éomer rushes over to aide his uncle.

"_You're free to leave me,_

_But just don't deceive me,_

_And please, believe me_

_When I say, I love you!"_

As this last line is belted out by the tall, older tenor, the three of them arrive in front of Legolas. The music recedes to a low level so that everyone can hear this conversation. Théoden and Éomer force Alice onto her knees. Sweat is already dripping from her face, as she's not really in the right kind of shape for this kind of exotic dancing. She heaves deep breaths, staring at the ground in front of her. She doesn't see the King and his nephew's hard stares at the Elf Prince, she simply hears their cold tones.

"Prostitution is an unpardonable crime in our country, Lord Legolas," Théoden says, "You have no doubt felt the cold sting of betrayal that comes from loving one such as this wench." She glances up at Gandalf and Aragorn, who stand on either side of their friend. Neither of them are looking at her, but are staring in absolute shock at the King. "Show her why such outright lies against you are simply inexcusable." It would take an idiot (or maybe a Hobbit) to realize that they mean for him to strike her. She can almost sense his inner confliction.

"_Come what may…"_ She sings softly, garnering their attention.

"_Come what may,"_ She looks directly up at Legolas, her eyes pleading with him for him to believe her. He kneels in front of her, cupping her face in his hands, and holds her close to sing the bit of the song with her.

"_I will love you,_

_Until my dying day."_

Angered, Théoden and Éomer drag her back, away from Legolas.

"_Why does my heart cry?_

_Roxanne!_

_Feelings I can't fight!_

_You don't have to put your hair up tonight!_

_You're free to leave me,_

_Roxanne!_

_But just don't deceive me,_

_And please, believe me_

_When I say, I love you!"_

Alice finally kicks off Éomer and Théoden, and turns to Legolas once more.

"_Come what may,_

_Come what may,_

_I will love you,_

_Until my dying day."_ She sings it very, very loud this time, over the music and the sounds that try and drown her out. Legolas smiles weakly, and nods a few times to show he understands.

"_Why does my heart cry?"_ Alice can only hear Éomer's voice, not his words, as Théoden grabs her from behind and starts spinning her around, dancing in sync with the men and women behind them.

"_Feelings I can't fight,"_ The King ceases from singing, the crowd about them, watching in silence, now picks up the tune.

"_Why does my heart cry?"_ They sing sadly.

"_Feelings I can't fight!"_ Then she hears Éomer above the din.

"_Roxanne!_

_You don't have to put on that red light!"_ Suddenly, the men all forego their women, who quickly scatter, and form a tight circle around Alice who's abandoned by Théoden. The King returns to his seat. Aragorn, Gandalf, and Legolas watch on in silent horror as Alice is almost literally tossed between the men in the tight circle, each of them kissing her body and feeling her up.

"_!"_

She finds herself in Éomer's arms as he spins her around to face Legolas (the men having parted at the last second to so they could see each other clearly), forcers her to kneel, puts his hand on her chin, hesitates, and then moves it down to her throat, before cutting open the pale skin with his bare fingernails. She collapses to the ground, exhaustion finally wearing on her, and blood seeping out from her fresh, thin wounds. Théoden suddenly stands from his seat in a rage.

"ÉOMER!" The nephew turns to face his uncle, "Why did you not kill her as is our tradition? Why did you not break her neck?" The blonde man turns slowly back, looking down at the gasping woman who lays very still in shock.

"She saved my life. I returned the favor." She looks up at him.

"Thank you." She whispers quietly, and he nods once. The King draws his sword.

"Éomer," he says in a warning tone, "Kill her. Now." In a single, swift movement, the captain of the Rohirrim picks up the bleeding woman, slings her over his shoulder, and races out of the Golden Hall at top speed. "GET THEM!" Théoden bellows, his rage having reached a new, all-time high. Several of the guards take off running after the pair, Legolas and Aragorn following closely.

"Éomer," she manages to get out, and he grunts in response as he reaches the bottom of the staircase, "Take me to the stables. I have to get out of here. There's nowhere in Edoras I can hide until this blows over. Take me to the stables." He nods once and turns in the direction of the horses. When they arrive, he kicks open the door, and heads for the closest horse. "No! Put me down, there's one here I have to ride. He's the only one that's fast enough."

"What? Are you mad? Just get on Brego and go!" He says, putting her down anyway.

"No, Éomer, this was all planned out by the Valar," he looks at her in sheer confusion, thinking she has honestly lost it, but her eyes plead with his like they did with Legolas' before, "Please, Éomer… Just trust me." She turns to the horses, "Nahar!" She calls, and one horse at the back whines loudly. The two run to it, and the horse lord still looks confused.

"I've never seen this horse before." Alice quirks an eyebrow, as is her fashion.

"Horse?" She glances back at the huge horse, "More like a monster. Help me get on." He nods once, and as he helps her swing one leg over, she leans down to the horse's ear. "Noro lim, Nahar." The horse grunts once.

"Why did you tell him that?" Éomer asks.

"I was told to, by the Valar. Oromë said that if I didn't, Nahar would buck me off." The horse lord chuckles. "Thank you, Éomer, I know you didn't have to do this, and that it will probably get you in trouble." He shakes his head.

"I'll talk to my uncle when he's sober, he'll be reasonable then. It's not our place to condemn a woman not of Rohan. Especially for a crime she did not commit within our borders." She nods a couple of times. "Goodbye, Alice. I hope to see you again someday." She kisses his forehead.

"And I, you, Éomer." She takes the reins from him, "Noro lim, Nahar, noro lim!" She says as the horse lord kicks open the gate to allow them through.

They charge past, top-speed, the Rohirrim guards as they try and stop her. She doesn't even see Legolas and Aragorn as they stand at the top of the stairs, waiting for her to emerge. She simply rides out the great gate, dodging a couple of arrows that are launched at her back. Tears burn her eyes as she realizes this will be the last time she sees the man she loves for a long time.

* * *

><p><strong>Lol, changed the drinking game a bit to make it interesting.<strong>

**Luna - Haha, I had to retain my laughter when writing that scene. I almost took it out, since it seemed a bit too informal for that moment, but I decided, in the end, to just leave it in.**

**Lady Minuialwen - =D**

**Gitana - Yeah, I really considered writing in that scene, but I was trying to really focus on Alice. I decided that I didn't want her involved with that scene, since it was kind of emotional, and she wouldn't have been able to handle watching someone that, even though they didn't get along, she still considered something of a friend die. I think it's just gonna be a controversy, of whether or not she should have been there or not. I tried to make up for it by having that part in this chapter where she grieves his loss.  
>Thank you very much for your suggestions, though, they are appreciated. =D<strong>

**Song credits: "El Tango de Roxanne" from Moulin Rouge!  
>(I 3 that song XD)<strong>

_Next time, on Alice in Middle Earth: The Two Towers:_

_Alice is, for the first time since entering Middle Earth, is now completely and utterly alone. Her only companion is an ancient horse who hasn't been seen in these lands for thousands of years, that she barely even knows or knows anything about. Every day she is reminded how very, very far from home she really is. Now she is on her way, whether she's ready for it or not, to an even more foreign land, and this time she will have no help. How will she fare on her own? Will she reach Frodo in time to save him? Or will the Dark Lord reign over all Middle Earth? FIND OUT NEXT TIME!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow. I honestly thought that I would at least make it to 10 chapters. Did that happen? Nope. Oh well. Thank you again to all of my reviewers, your support has been greatly appreciated! The first chapter of "The Return of the King" will be up sometime tomorrow!**

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING... except Alice. XD**

* * *

><p>Alice rides, long and hard, all through the night, not stopping once. Nahar's powerful hooves seem to crush the dirt beneath their weight as he propels himself forward. She recalls that it took her four days to run from about Emyn Muil to the edge of Fangorn Forest, Rohan being about the same distance from the large rocky outcrop, it's just South East instead of North East. By dawn, she can see the black rocks of Emyn Muil far off in the distance to the North, a tiny speck barely worth noticing. But notice it, she does.<p>

When she finally tells Nahar to slow down so she can rest at the joining of the River Snowbourne and the Entwash, exhausted from the events of yesterday and yester evening combined with getting absolutely no sleep. The horse quickly comes to a stop, and seems barely winded when she slides off his back. She rubs his face.

"You're pretty smart, huh, Nahar?" The horse nods, almost as though he can unders-… wait. "Can you understand me?" The horse nods again, grunting in an affirmative way. Her eyes widen considerably. "… Woah." He curls his feet underneath himself, laying down on the dead grass, and she lays next to him. "Can you wake me in two hours?" He grunts again, and she quickly falls asleep.

In what feels like seconds, she can feel a wet tongue sliding over her face… and like someone just finished up using a jackhammer on her forehead. She rolls over with disdain, mumbling something about needing a few more minutes. Then something nudges her side roughly. She opens one eye to see Nahar's black nose and his big green eyes staring down at her. She stands, and looks up at the sky. Sure enough, it's been about two hours, if her guesstimating* is accurate. She turns to her companion, and gives him a weak smile.

"Thank you for waking me." He sees her grimace of pain and whines softly, "Sorry, I just have a hangover from all that beer I drank last night." She grins slightly, "Good thing that I did a lot of drinking games back home, normally with stuff stronger than what we used last night. We should press on." She pauses, thinking, "You wouldn't happen to know where there's any water near here, would you?" He shakes his head, and she shrugs before quickly hopping up onto his back. "Didn't think it would hurt to ask. Noro lim, Nahar." He starts off at a trot, and she points ahead to where they can see one of the small river off-shoots from the Entwash before it means up with the Anduin, "Let's see if we can at least make it to that small river by nightfall, eh?" He responds by going into a full gallop, and she clings to his fur, trying to not fall off as her headache throbs behind her eyes.

They follow the River Entwash as far South West as they can until it joins with the Anduin. On her right, facing South, she can see small Rohirrim towns and forests. Behind the towns and forests are the Lamedon's, or White Mountains. By the time she dismounts that evening on Cair Andros, a small island in the center of the Anduin and a part of North Ithilien, her hangover has completely dissipated, but her longing for, at the very least, Aragorn's presence hasn't diminished in the smallest of amounts.

The river is shallow enough for a normal horse to cross while having a bit of trouble, but Nahar, larger than most normal horses, crosses with ease. In the distance, Alice can see Minas Tirith, the White City of Gondor.

It makes her heart ache.

A small city in the distance can also be seen. Alice guesses that it's Osgiliath. She sighs and then looks at Nahar, who has elected to go to sleep standing. She goes to a nearby tree and pulls off some large branches, having to use Ringil occasionally to hack them off. When she finishes, she piles them on the ground next to Nahar, and lays down on them. She's never fallen asleep as fast as she did that night.

_The next morning…_

Nahar wakes Alice again at dawn, nudging her softly. She wakes up faster than she did the day before, but doesn't feel any less tired. She sighs, and walks down to the river to get some water to drink. The realization that she's alone hits her again, and unlike yesterday when her headache prevented her from thinking about much else, today it hits her full force. She cannot stop the tears as her fear, anxiousness, and longing to be with her friends again overwhelm her senses. As she sits at the riverside, sobbing quietly, Nahar comes and lays down by her, letting her lean on his massive frame. She's not totally sure how long she sits there, crying on the shoulder of a massive, owned-by-gods, super-intelligent horse. When the tears finally recede, Nahar quietly licks her face, and stands up. She stands with him, thanks him softly, and then climbs up onto his back. They get back over the Anduin, and Alice sits up straight on the horse's bare back. She can smell something on the wind.

Osgiliath is burning.

"Noro lim, Nahar! Noro lim!" She cries out, urging the horse on. He takes off at a full gallop, racing towards the now-burning city.

_An hour later…_

Alice and Nahar sneak into the stone city, both having to resist the strong urge to cough. She leaves the large, black horse just inside the city, afraid that he may give her away. She stalks through the city, using a technique Aragorn taught her a few months back when she asked him about stealth. What she doesn't know is that Frodo, Sam, and Faramir are already in the city, having arrived just before dawn. She does know, however, that the Nazgûl has already arrived, being able to hear the great flapping of its beast's wings from even this distance.

She spies a nearby tower that will be high enough for her to see the entire city, and it seems to be near the center. She sneaks around corners, avoiding as many Men as she can. Finally, she reaches and races up the steps of the tower to a window on the second floor. There's a gaping hole in the wall, like a rock was thrown through it.

She ascends the stairs, taking them two by two, racing to the top. She can hear the screeches of the Nazgûl, and knows that it's close. When she makes it to the hole, she can see rocks being launched from across the river by the Orcs. She makes note to watch where those rocks are being thrown, as it would suck for one to hit her. A movement catches her eye, and when she follows it, she realizes there is a huge, dragon-like beast flying about with a Nazgûl on its back. She draws Ringil, and waits for the beast to hold still. He flies over, and hovers above a building for just a moment. In that moment, Alice launches Ringil with every fiber in her being, taking precise aim to injure one of the beast's legs.

The beast recoils, screeching as it flies away, Ringil having dismantled one of its long, fingering talons.

As the fell beast flies over her building, she ducks down to not be seen, and notices an arrow that has also pierced its side that she hadn't noticed before. She wonders if it was possibly one of the archers down below. When the Nazgûl seems to be gone for a moment, she stands back up and looks at where it was hovering, and sees a familiar head of blonde hair quickly moving off the building. She takes in a sharp gasp. _"Sam!"_

She scans the area, mapping out which pathways she needs to take in order to get to the Hobbit (and Ringil) in her head, and then quickly descends the stairs. This time, she doesn't care for what the Men about her think, she races down the halls, praying to catch up with Sam and figure out where the hell is Frodo.

"… how could the end be happy?" She hears the young Hobbit say, and she pushes herself harder, trying to follow the voice, "How could the world go back to the way it was… when so much bad happened?... But in the end, it's only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when that sun shines, it will shine out the clearer." She slows, realizing she's close. She spots Ringil laying on the ground, sneaks over to it, and picks it up quietly, listening to Sam speak. "Those were the stories that stayed with you… that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But, I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories, had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going… because they were holding onto something." Then a voice that floods her mind with relief speaks.

"What are we holding onto, Sam?" Alice picks that moment to make herself known.

"That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo." The Hobbits turn, gasping with evident shock. "And it's worth fighting for." They both smile at her widely, before turning and accepting a hug she offers them. "I should hate you two right now," she says between her soft sobs and silent tears, "This merry goose chase you've led me on." She pulls away from them, "I haven't seen Aragorn, Legolas, or Gimli in two days, y'know." They grin at her, even though they both have tears of joys leaking out of their eyes.

"Who is this woman, Mr. Frodo?" Says an unfamiliar voice from beside them, and she hears the sound of bows being drawn. She looks up at the young man before her, not five years older than she.

"My name is Alice Half-Elf, Lady of Rivendell, and daughter of Lord Elrond the Wise." She tells him, lying easily, as she does consider Elrond to be a father-figure to her, and she's sort of a half-Elf, seeing as she had Fingolfin inside her for such a long time. Both Hobbits nod, knowing that she couldn't tell a total stranger she was from a distant world, and that it would be easier to just lie.

"She's one of our companions that set out with us from Rivendell, one of the ten. She…" Sam stops, and looks at her. "This is Faramir, Boromir's brother. Tell 'im about what happened." Her eyes widen, and then she looks back up at the bedraggled man.

"I loved your brother, and I was with him when he died. I would have given myself up for him if I could have, but by the time I knew what was going on, he was almost dead already." She swallows dryly, "I still grieve his loss, even though it has already been about a month's time since his passing." Faramir's eyes widen considerably at her words, and a few of the men behind him gasp.

"How did he die?" Her neither gaze nor voice waver.

"He died defending Frodo's cousins, Merry Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, both Hobbits. Boromir was very fond of them both, having taken the time to teach them swordplay." She smiles grimly, "I think if they had been children and not full-grown Hobbits, Boromir would have adopted them as his sons." Both Sam and Frodo chuckle at the thought, albeit a bit darkly. Faramir is quiet for a moment, seemingly lost in a reverie, before snapping out of it. He walks up to Frodo and kneels beside him.

"I think, at last, we understand one another, Frodo Baggins." He stands, and a soldier that stands behind Sam speaks up.

"You know the laws of our country, the laws of your father. If you let them go, your life will be forfeit." Faramir pauses, but it's not a look of consideration, deliberation, or even inner conflict that passes his features. It's a look that Alice could not fully pin down as any one expression. She glances down at a worried Frodo and Sam.

"Then it is forfeit. Release them."

_Later that day…_

Faramir leads them through a maze and ruins of Osgiliath. He stops just inside the entrance of a tunnel.

"This is the old sewer. Runs right under the river through to the edge of the city. You'll find cover in the woods there." Alice glances distrustingly at the creature known as Gollum as it slithers past her. She stands by Faramir's side. "You will not join your friends?" Alice shakes her head.

"Our destinies are no longer entwined." She gets down on her knees, and kisses both men on the forehead. "I'll miss you both. I'm glad to see you both alive." Frodo and Sam share a look, before rushing forward and enveloping her in another hug.

"I wish you would come with us, Alice." Sam mummers in her ear.

"Me too, Sam." She pulls back, but keeps a hand on each of their shoulders. "But I an appointment in Minas Tirith. Not Mordor." She squeezes the soft skin beneath her fingers gently, "I'll see you soon, though." She looks at them from underneath her eyelashes. "Be brave, you two. Only a few more miles to go." They both nod understandingly. Sam turns to Faramir.

"Captain Faramir, you have shown your quality, sir." Faramir takes a step back. "The very highest." The ranger grins.

"The Shire must truly be a great realm, Master Gamgee, where gardeners are held in high honor." The blonde Hobbit immediately looks sheepish, and Alice laughs. "What road will you take once you reach the woods?"

"Gollum says there's a path, near Minas Morgul that climbs up into the mountains."

"Cirith Ungol?" Gollum tries to creep away, but Faramir grabs him by the back of the neck and throws him against a wall. He looks at him sternly and holds him by the throat. "Is that it's name?"

"No." Gollum says, shaking his head. "No." Faramir's grip tightens. "Yes." The ranger turns to Frodo, but his grip on the creature doesn't loosen.

"Frodo, they say a dark terror dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul. You cannot go that way."

"It is the only way. Master says we must go to Mordor, so we must try." Alice cringes at the voice of the pathetic looking creature.

"I must." Faramir throws Gollum to the ground, and then nods at Frodo.

"Go, Frodo. Go with the goodwill of all Men." He turns and walks down the sewer, Sam follows. Gollum goes to creep after them, taking a wide path around the tall man. Faramir reaches down and grabs him by the throat again. "May death find you quickly if you bring them to harm." He throws Gollum down the tunnel after them. Gollum pauses to look back at him and goes into the sewer, holding up one arm in pain.

"Come on, keep up." Alice hears Sam tell the strange being a bit further down the passage. She doesn't turn to face Faramir when she speaks to him.

"Was this wise?" The ranger softly sighs.

"I have no idea." She grins, and then turns and winks at him.

"Come on, we have a battle to win." He returns her grin, and the two take off back out of the tunnel.

**_END OF ALICE IN MIDDLE EARTH: THE TWO TOWERS_**

**_STAY TUNED FOR:_**

_**ALICE IN MIDDLE EARTH: THE RETURN OF THE KING**_


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